My Red Angel
by First-GeNeSiS
Summary: When the beautiful wavyhaired princess of Hell was tasked to tempt a human soul, Heaven countered through its finest blond archangel. But when temptation turned to seduction, perhaps even this angel CAN fall.
1. The Mission

MY RED ANGEL

by First-GeNeSiS

Disclaimer: I don't own Sailormoon, especially the characters, Haruka, Michiru, Usagi, and Mamoru. I'm just borrowing them to give their lives a little bit of spice and give the readers a taste of fanfic imagination. On beliefs, please note that I am not focusing on a specific religion in this story. Again, this is fanfiction! AND… always remember until the end, that GOOD is GOOD, BAD is BAD. Don't mix them up, well ya? If you're on the age of confusion, I advise you to be strong while reading this.

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Chapter 1

The world had always been embraced by the opposites. Good versus evil, with both forces, it obtained the balance of life. Nevertheless, the everlasting dispute of who should prevail would always be present in everything, in and to everyone. No one could prevail, for it was the presence of one force that there existed the other.

Hell.

Amongst the charcoaled walls, fired up by raging evil emotions, the king of darkness sat on his throne surrounded by nothing but layer upon layer of fire. The grounds boiled with increasing heat and the minions of darkness comfortably gathered close to their master's seat. Ugly creatures rejoiced with their laughs of insanity and damned souls cried from anonymous pain.

"Did you summon me, father?" A girl with aquamarine hair and pale skin, wearing a hellish garb, red like dried rose, elegantly walked toward the throne. Her lusciously curved lips became redder at every warm breath.

"Michiru." Rising, the king revealed his broad structure. His unseen mouth moved the fur that grew in his lower face. Whether it was beard or mustache, they couldn't be distinguished. His eyes were covered with nothing but darkness as black as hell. "You do know what day this is."

"I am thoroughly aware."

"Good. You have all the time you need. But the sooner you finish it, the quicker you'll be fully accepted into our black realm."

"I am insulted, father. Don't you trust the capability of your very own daughter? The least thing you can do is set me a time limit. And I'll impress you more."

"As you wish. You'll have one week. Bring the human to the horrid reality of hell then finally make these creatures of darkness unconditionally kneel before you."

She scowled with a face of a thousand royalties, laying sight one by one on the damned creatures surrounding her. Gaining their loyalty was not enough for a trophy of victory. Such creatures didn't even deserve her authority. They were just trash, too dirty to even wipe her feet. She restored her attention to the king. "And who is this unfortunate human that is to be my prey?"

"Chiba Mamoru."

"A man?" The girl sounded with great interest to the subject. "This will be very easy."

"Well then," the father continued. "Let me choose for you a guardian that will accompany you in your royal initiation." Raising a hand, he brought forth from solid ground, a small brown creature with a porcupine's head, snake's body, cat's limbs and a goat's tail. Every inch of its skin dripped mud, as its mouth salivated in spontaneity.

"Mi-sama?" Barely seeing its master, the creature spoke, at its highest pitch, as it gradually cleaned the dripping dirt over its face. "Mi-sama? Mi-sama!" It ran to the beautiful devil, preparing to greet her with utmost respect. But before it even reached feet away from the woman, flames burst and burned it to ashes

"Disgusting!" Steam came out from Michiru's pointer. Around it was a silver ring with a black signet of a flame. She brought down her steaming finger and softly caressed it with her lips. "I guess it died."

"Michiru!" The king's angry voice quaked the grounds.

But Michiru maintained her posture. "Father, let me tell you. Whatever you create, I can easily destroy." She sounded angelic to normal ears yet her lips wore the devil's grin.

Then, from the farthest corner of the throne room, there, emerged deep and course laughter. "Sobarashii!" A one-man applause followed. "Just wonderful, simply wonderful."

The woman turned to the unknown person. "Kuro onii-sama!"

"Yo!" He walked across the room, positioned himself beside the throne, and returned his gaze to the woman. "Your control over your power is improving." With a well-modulated voice, he retained his calm face. He got hold of his chin. "But what a waste that you had to kill your own guardian."

"That's it, Kuro." The king was holding his tension. "Tell her."

Michiru relaxed a little and folded her arms. "I can't help it. Just looking at it alone was already a huge burden."

His straight long charcoaled hair swayed as he approached the girl. There was silence at first that only his teal eyes spoke of the concealed words of such conversation. Then, his smile broadened. "Michiru is a big girl now. Today is already her start of initiation into the black realm. If she can't fulfill this initiation without a guardian, then it will only defeat its true purpose." His eyes probed her face and his finger slightly moved a lock of her hair. "Besides, what Michiru wants, Michiru gets. I have my whole trust in my little 'sis." His hair sagged as he leant over, took in his sister's lips, and gave her a deep long kiss. Pulling away, he smiled again. "And my future wife."

"I guess it can't be helped." The old man shrugged. "Well, Michiru, if your brother says so. Then, you can have it your way."

"I assure you. Chiba will have a damned soul in just a few days." Michiru turned around, shoved her hair, and disappeared into the darkness.

The king turned to Kuro. "Do you think she'll be alright?"

"Don't worry, father. She is, the Princess of Darkness."

Heaven.

"So, you got it now?" Haruka smirked at the little girl beside her.

"Hmmm… Let me see," the girl thought about it for awhile. "The valley is over there." She pointed to a vast plain. "The gate is over there." Her hand swayed to another direction. "And the Angel's palace is in the horizon."

"Excellent." Haruka heaved off a huge breath. "And after eleven times of repeating it, you finally got it right."

A silver-haired guy came up from behind the two. "Haruka-san, the master wants to talk to you."

"Ah, Shiro-san. You found us." Haruka stood to greet the angel properly. "Is the master in the palace?"

The guy nodded.

"O.K.!" The blond stooped over to the little girl. "Shall we head home, now?"

Extending a hand, Haruka smiled as she got the girl's compliance.

The three started to walk on the Heaven's grounds. The blond breathe in a handful of air from Heaven's solace. Though the environment was more like the Earth's country scene, somehow, Heaven got a totally different feel. It was nature in the clouds. Above them was the sky, below them was the sky, and beyond the kingdom's walls, outside the mighty gate, was the doorway to the world.

"Haruka-sama, that man over there." The girl pointed at Shiro. "Is he an angel too?"

Haruka's face never stopped at being amused at the child. "Hai."

"Oh? But how come he is stiffer than you?" Her lips pouted. "And more serious."

Haruka chuckled. "You see, Mai-chan, each and everyone of us is different. Besides, Shiro-san and I have different rankings in the palace. I am a Na-shi and Shiro-san is a Ko-shi."

"Na-hi and Ko-hi?"

"Let me explain it a little better. Female angels are called Na-shi. They are what humans call as 'guardian angels'. Male angels are called Ko-shi. They are the protectors of heaven and will never leave the kingdom. Na-shi, on the other hand, are the ones that get assigned to specific humans. So, Mai-chan, when you get bigger, you'll become a Na-shi."

"Oh." The child became silent again.

"That girl." Walking with the two, Shiro pointed at the little girl. "Is she new?"

"Hai." Haruka replied. "Oh, I'm sorry I forgot to introduce her." She pointed at the child. "This is Mai-chan. She is a newly-born cherub and Shizuka-san wants me to show her around for today."

"Ah!" Startled at a realization, Mai stopped. "Get assigned? Meaning," she looked at Haruka with held tears on her eyes. "Haruka-san is going to leave Heaven, too?"

"Now, now."

"Not possible." Shiro interrupted and bent down at the little girl. Raising his finger, he continued the lesson. "You see, Haruka-san and I are archangels. Haruka-san is the chief angel of the Na-shi and I am the head of the Ko-shi. Archangels stay only in Heaven."

"Ah! O.K.! Everything is fine then." The girl continued to walk.

"I didn't know that you have the potential of being a good teacher, Shiro-san." Teasingly, the blond gave the other her remark. It was definitely unusual of Shiro to talk to a cherub. As what Mai had said, he was stiff. Well, he was the only one who was stiffer than Haruka. But it didn't matter, his job called for it.

The distance they walked was long but any walk in heaven was never tiring. The group reached Angel's Palace. The Na-shis were the only ones there. Ko-shis rarely hanged out in the building. Haruka saw the same angelic faces that morning from when she departed with Mai.

The angels greeted them and Haruka had completely sensed the excitement of how her subordinates looked at them. Perhaps, they fancied a lot at the Ko-shi archangel. Well, it couldn't be helped. He was rather good-looking. But there was something disturbing to begin with. Somehow, Haruka felt that those crystalline eyes of the Na-shis were rooted on her.

"Well, I still have somewhere to go." Shiro waved at the blond and immediately walked out of the palace.

"Haruka-sama!" A slender woman with long chestnut hair and green eyes called and approached the angel. "Master is waiting for you." She looked down at the child. "And how've you been, Mai-chan. You didn't give Haruka-sama any trouble now, did you?" Shizuka was the angel a step down in rank of an archangel. She cared a lot for the cherubs and as well as she took the position of a teacher to the newly born.

Her golden locks of hair swayed as Mai shook her head. "I am a good cherub, Shizuka-oneesan."

"Good to hear that."

Haruka laughed. She was never this amused at a child before. Mai was too cute to be taken for granted. "She's an avid learner. If you're going to continue raising her up then I know she'll make a perfect guardian, Shizuka-san."

"Haruka-sama!" A blue-haired cherub came running to the three. "Master is looking for you!"

Haruka gulped. Shiro, Shizuka, and Yuki. There were three messages delivered already. Now, she knew that the issue for what she was called for was indeed serious. It was even very unusual for her to have the slightest feeling of being nervous. Or was it fear? The ambiguity was not an issue. She just had no idea what was in store for her by her master.

"You really have to go now." Shizuka finally insisted. "You mustn't make Master wait."

Haruka nodded. "First, I have to clean myself up." She was just wearing her casual angelic robes. Her wings, hidden underneath her flesh, left only a protruding mark on her back. Yet, to present oneself to the master was not ordinary. Rather, it was like an occasion, a special celebration of presentation.

The blond said a little prayer, recited a few chants, and in a split of a second, she restored her archangel's regimentals. The pressed clothes covered every inch of skin of her body. White gloves, white boots, white satin clothing wrapped her, long well fit sleeves embraced her long arms and firm pants held her legs. Her waist carried a tight golden belt and a golden strap around her head. Now, confident and prepared, she could only think of what her master could want from her. "Ja, I'm going."

"Wait!"

Haruka turned.

"Let me straighten your collar a bit. It's a little bit crooked." Shizuka's hands found their way to Haruka's neck and carefully work on the angel's collar.

Everything should be perfect and Haruka was indeed grateful to her subordinate's concern.

Yuki's giggle became audible

"What's the idea?" The blond stood straight with raised brows, innocent, and having no single clue.

The blue-haired cherub composed herself and looked at the three straightly. "Well, no matter how I look at it, you, three, look like a real family."

"Like that ever happens!" Haruka rescinded.

"Hey, it's just my opinion. Well, I'll go on ahead. Teacher is still waiting for me." The small girl dashed through the palace's corridors.

Keeping her cool, the comment didn't seem to bother Haruka at all. A small child had really no idea with those worldly facts. She was about to walk away when she noticed Shizuka's red face. Come to think of it, a beautiful angel like Shizuka sure looked pretty cute turning red. Looking at her give Haruka a somewhat throbbing feeling. But imagining that Haruka herself was the one that caused her to turn red like that was even more invigorating. "Hey, are you alright?" The blond lifted up the shorter woman's face. "Hora you're all red."

"Ah!" Mai exclaimed. "Shizuka-oneesan is blushing really hard."

"No, I'm fine. Really."

"You sure?"

"E"

"Well, if you say so." Haruka let go of the woman's face. "Well, this time, I'm really going to the Master now." The sounds of the footsteps made by her leather boots echoed the palace grounds. She turned to Shizuka for the last time. "Shizuka-san, take good care of our child now! Then, we can take Mai-chan when we're ready to elope."

Shizuka's jaw dropped, her face became redder as before. Her opened mouth just froze, without words to say.

"Just kidding!" Haruka winked at the other woman.

Her back turned and she continued to walk sternly toward the Master's chamber. It was really not usual for her to crack those kinds of jokes to her subordinates especially to Shizuka, but somehow, she could feel that the situation called for it. But if situations such as those happened, she normally ignored it or better yet, sealed her lips, and ignored the urges that would regularly emerged reflexively. What happened was different. She managed to ride on what had been said. Perhaps, it was a sign of her very own growth. She knew she was playing with someone's feeling. And she knew it was enjoyable, too enjoyable to begin with that thinking of it more felt like it was her first and last game.

Her feet stopped at the Master's door. Aware of her arrival, they swung wide and opened to a throne room where the Master comfortably sat.

"Haruka, you're finally here." His voice was so ever solemn and deep.

She immediately paid tribute and bowed down infront of him. "I apologize for my tardiness, sir. It was…"

"You returned Mai to her teacher."

She raised her head, still had eyes of amazement for her Master's great intuition. "That is correct, sir."

"Do not worry. Your tardiness is well compensated."

"What can your humble servant do for you?"

There was silence at first that Haruka knew was a preparation of something out of the ordinary. She received a lot of orders from the Master before. Trained the Na-shis, organized an occasion, looked after the cherubs, and a lot more of Heaven's chores that she had been doing for the past fifty years. She felt that this one was different.

"I am sending you to the world."

"Sir?" Confused, she knew that her position entitled her to be in the palace at all cost. "Are you demoting me?"

"Of course not." The master had a trace of a chuckle in his tone. "You are the best guardian in Heaven. Why would I demote you?" He resumed a sober face. "Hell started their princess' initiation to the black realm. She was sent to the world to make a human's clean soul evil. I want you to stop her from succeeding."

She, indeed, was surprise. Hell's princess was already starting to make her move in the circle of the great forces. It was a sign that the world should be prepared for. It could lead to salvation or it could lead to destruction. Although she had been a guardian, she never experienced facing Hell's royal foes before. This job was a once-in-a-lifetime event of a Na-shi archangel. Succeeding the mission meant Heaven's glory, but failing meant the Na-shi's own death as well as the world or even universal chaos. Her predecessor was at a loss half a century ago when Hell's very own prince managed to acquire a pure soul. And Heaven lost. The world went to war, more evil souls rose feeding on humans' innocence, as nations between nations experienced bloodshed at its fullest. The archangel that faced the prince, 50 years ago, died miserably from the prince's very own hands. The archangel was crushed and later, burnt. Now, this time, the princess was the one in her initiation and Haruka knew nothing on what this princess was capable of. But she was certain that whatever the princess could do, it was lethal. "Do I need to banish the princess from the world?"

"That is futile. The death of a demon is the victory of an angel. All you need to do is free a soul from the princess' clutches and the world will be saved."

Much contemplation rushed to Haruka's head. This was a very serious assignment and she had to be prepared for it no matter what and yet the confidence that she held within was not enough to defeat whatever instrument of darkness the princess might have in stored for her. Her lack of confidence could push her to her very own death. This slightest doubt was a huge threat. But she knew that she was the only one in Heaven who was in the position to counter the dark princess. "And whose soul is she after?"

"A young college student named Chiba Mamoru."

Making her final decision and gathering every bit of courage there was, Haruka nodded. "I will guard his soul with my life."

She arched her back a little and clinched her fists, summoning on her strength, the tiniest nerve marked a trace on her neck. Closing her eyes, her teeth gnashed feeling on the energy accumulating and in a second, great white wings sprouted from his back. Her body faded in Heaven as Haruka, orbed herself to the world.

It was a short time of travel that light spectacles of matter swiftly passed by Haruka's path. With such span, she had only one thought. She had to defeat the princess no matter what the cost was.

As the angel found her path to Mamoru's pad, she quickly made a celestial way in it. Inside, her body gradually appeared along with soft shiny spectacles she accumulated from her journey. For the first time in decades, her shoes felt the hardness of the world's grounds. Calming from the flight, her wings spread, took a few flaps, then came into a full relax.

Around her was quiet and serene.

Then, a captivating form of giggle crouched up behind her. The angel turned and saw the figure on the bed, lying on her sides, dressed in a seductively red clothing, with a condemned yet mesmerizing pair of teal eyes and an alluring wavy hair. Haruka's chest fluttered with nervousness. The cause of this feeling? It remained unknown. Perhaps it was because of seeing for the first time Hell's own daughter or perhaps, it was because she was seeing a red angel.

TO BE CONTINUED 

Author's Notes

To my readers:

I'm back. This is my fourth Haruka x Michiru fic. I don't know what your initial reaction would be in this one since I have a different and a little bit weird of a theme. Your comments are appreciated. I don't mean to offend anyone, if there be anyone who'll be. This is purely fanfiction.

To scw:

I'm very grateful to your mails. I tried to email you back, but the delivery failed and every mail was returned. So, I'm sorry I couldn't communicate immediately with you except through this medium. I just want you to know that I am truly grateful. I hope you'll read this story too.

(Version 2)


	2. Phase One

MY RED ANGEL

by First-GeNeSiS

Disclaimer: I don't own Sailormoon, especially the characters, Haruka, Michiru, Usagi, and Mamoru. I'm just borrowing them to give their lives a little bit of spice and give the readers a taste of fanfic imagination. On beliefs, please note that I am not focusing on a specific religion in this story. Again, this is fanfiction!

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Chapter 2

"Hello there, angel!"

Haruka's wings dispersed. 'She can see me. Is she the princess of darkness?' Despite her well-composed figure, Haruka's thoughts ran wild in her head. And she was aware that everything inside of her was panicking. But she couldn't make the enemy have the slightest hint of what she was feeling. She stood, remained valiant, and all knowing. "You must be…"

"Michiru." The demon quickly interrupted as she declared both power and authority. "Princess of Darkness." She slowly approached the hovering guardian and examined her discreetly. "So, you are the guardian sent from Heaven." Her gaze, both mocking and intimidating, never spared a glance away. "Very interesting."

Haruka could see pure mischief in the smaller woman's eyes and indeed, the angel was scared. "Let me tell you this. I won't ever allow you to take not even one single soul from this world. I am your opponent in this and I am not an easy enemy." The words just kept on coming out from her mouth. The truth was those words were not for the demon, instead, those words were for Haruka herself. She needed to say them and regain her courage that she might be stripped off of her weakness. "With me around, it's better to just give up, right now. You will end up losing. And you will suffer. I swear…"

Michiru hushed her with a finger. "Enough with this talk." She tilted her head as she smiled angelically. "Let's focus on introductions first, shall we?"

The blond stared back at what seemed to be a friendly pair of eyes. They were so deceiving! She reminded herself that behind the innocent face was a monster. "My name is Haruka. I am Heaven's guardian."

Michiru moved back a bit and folded her arms. Her look showed the anonymity of her thoughts.

"Where is Chiba-san?"

The demon didn't respond.

"Michiru-san!" Haruka called again and finally caught the other woman's attention.

"Oh, please. Let's forget the formalities here. You can just call me 'Michiru'. Besides, we're both supernatural creature, aren't we?" Somehow, her face showed the tiniest bit of amusement. "Then, I'll take the liberty of just calling you 'Haruka'? Is that alright, Haruka?"

Michiru seemed very friendly. A royalty from Hell with this kind of attitude was suspicious. She might be tricking the angel the whole time. Nevertheless, this conversation was calming. "Very well, then." She maintained her stern posture. "Michiru, where is he?"

"He?" There was still a short pause. "Oh, you mean Mamoru?" She sat down on the bed. "He will be here in a few minutes time. He is still talking to her girlfriend downstairs. There wasn't really any action watching them so I might as well wait here and figure something out to bring out his black soul." Stretching her body, she laid and resumed to how she was when the angel appeared. "But since Mamoru isn't here yet, then how about we make our own entertainment here, first." She leant in a shoulder, her palm supporting her cheek. With her position, every curve in her body became evident. And somehow, she looked seductively sexy.

"I beg your pardon." In defense and surprised, Haruka couldn't believe of how daring Michiru was.

"C'mon! There is no need to be shy. Let's enjoy ourselves for a change. A celebration before the strenuous mission." Her fingers ran through her neck, letting her hair fell gradually. "I have to say that I'm feeling a little hot right now." There were hidden moans in her lines.

"Are you seducing me?"

The woman below smiled.

Indeed, Michiru was enticing and Haruka, herself, admired how the temptress herself was melting a part of her. "I'm sorry to disappoint you, princess, but your charms or whatever do you call it, have no effect on me. You're wasting your time."

"Not interested?" Michiru quoted with baffled eyes. "What a pity! I didn't know you were…" Still looking for the perfect word, "…abnormal." She sat up straight with a defeated look. "But this is really very interesting. I've never seen an impotent angel before, doesn't even have it, to do just one single frustrated she-devil."

Wide-eyed, Haruka froze. Impotent? She was called 'impotent'. She never met anybody, not even a demon, as straightforward as this being in front of her. Never was she insulted in her entire life. Well, if Michiru just wanted somebody who'd do her, Haruka was more than capable of giving it to her. Haruka could exhaust her, make her scream in pleasure, like there was no tomorrow. Michiru should be very easy. And then again, thinking with such nonsense things was stupid. Such lewd thoughts! So inappropriate for an angel of high ranking as she was! This was what the demon wanted her to ponder right from the very start and Haruka was almost caught in the web of this temptation. "I am a Na-shi."

"A female angel?" Michiru seemed surprise. The bed sagged as her body dropped down in total disappointment. "Oh, I totally forgot. All guardians are Na-shis." She sighed. Her eyes looked at the angel again in her grandest form. "Well, you really passed as a deceiver. The princess, herself, totally fell victim in your deception. You should try to visit Hell, sometimes. There are really a lot of liars and other con-artists in there."

"I wasn't lying. You were the one who was assuming."

"Alright, alright, so it's my fault." She pointed to a chair. "Have a seat for awhile. Your legs must be getting stressed out now."

Haruka silently complied and found her way to the corner chair.

"So, let's have a straight talk on the business at hand." Michiru rose again and leant her back against a wall. Finally, she showed how serious one phase of her character was. "I am determined in completing my task as you are determined in doing yours. There's no argument to that."

Haruka nodded.

"I will make it clear. I will do my best to succeed and you can do your best to stop me. But I will not give up." Michiru continued. "We can make this exciting."

"What do you have in mind?"

She put out three fingers. "Three! Let's compete on three aspects. There are only three things that matters to a human."

Haruka seemed to understand it already. "His possessions, his love, and his own self."

"Right! If I can take all three, then I'll make Mamoru's soul mine. With your own hands as his guardian, you must forsake his soul and give it to me. But, if you can convince me to stop, or for you to succeed in interrupting me, then, I'll never step here in this world again."

How hard could the princess' conditions be? Haruka was sent to the world to save a soul and that was exactly what she would do. She just had to protect all three matters, Mamoru's possessions, his love, and his life. With Michiru's conditions, she could be even more triumphant since her victory could banish the princess of darkness from the world. Her thoughts told her that this game was more systematic and far safer than the traditional course of good and evil. If Haruka losses, she didn't have to die. Yes, it was safer. But when Haruka losses, she would be facing treachery in Heaven, if she would gladly give Mamoru's soul to darkness.

"So what would it be?" Michiru awaited Haruka's confirmation.

Haruka's only stand in this game was that it was safer. That was what she had always been thinking. Haruka wouldn't die. Or perhaps, what her mind was thinking was that this game was the only way Michiru could live with Haruka's victory. "Yes. Let's have it your way."

"Good!"

The knob turned and Mamoru stepped in. Haruka and Michiru made themselves invisible and watched the human in silence.

Haruka followed every move the human was making.

The phone rang. Mamoru took the call immediately. "Usagi?" He had a confused face. "Didn't we just finish talking awhile ago? What's the matter?" He continued the conversation. "Oh, is that all? Well, it didn't really bother me at all. Yeah. Don't worry about it. O.K. I'll see you tomorrow. Love you, too. Bye." He put down the receiver as he heaved off a huge breath.

After a drink of hot cocoa, the young college student directly headed to the books. Pages turned, the pencil scribbled, and only the buzzing sound of the study lamp was heard.

"A good little boy, isn't he?" Michiru, glancing at the pages being studied upon, remained concealed at Mamoru's back.

"He is." Haruka couldn't agree less. Seeing Mamoru and feeling the good energy surrounding him made him almost perfect and throwing his soul away to the fires of Hell would be Heaven's biggest regret.

"Now, shall we start the game?" Michiru's fingers beckoned the reserved angel.

This was it! Haruka stood face to face with the demon. Looking down at her, she did feel Michiru's undying determination. Haruka was far from quitting her duty especially that she knew who the princess of darkness was.

Phase 1. A human's possession

The darkness of the city slowly swallowed the daylight. Lampposts lit themselves, the red light district operated near its peak, and thugs positioned themselves in the city shadows.

The alley was dark and smells like burnt rotten fish and manure.

"What are we doing here?" Haruka was the only white shining being that was present in the place.

"Scared?" Michiru chuckled. "It's not usual for an archangel to be scared in places like this." She paused for a moment. "Oh, I forgot. Impotent angels are most likely scared in places like this."

"Very funny." Haruka wasn't laughing.

"Oh!" Michiru stopped and looked at the angel. "You are not scared that I will bite you and then suck your blood, are you?"

Haruka stared at the woman with a devilish grin. Her mind accumulated the thoughts she refused to say. Michiru. Princess of darkness. An enemy. Must stop her! Those were the same words running rampant in her brain. The angel silently gazed at the being playing at her. Michiru must had enjoyed on how she tortured the Na-shi with her intimidating teases, an irregularly confusing autocratic personality, and the worst, was her mesmerizing beauty. Over and over, Haruka questioned the flow of the forces. 'How in the world could a being so beautiful turned out to be Hell's daughter?'

"Hey!" Michiru called snapping out the angel in a trance. "I didn't even put a spell on you and yet you were standing there as if you were hypnotized or something." She resumed her stroll. "Don't worry, I may be a demon but I'm not a vampire. I despise sucking blood, especially angel's blood."

Haruka remained silent. She didn't have any intention of going on with such conversation. She refused to be more attached with this weird woman. The least thing she wanted was Michiru seducing her again.

"But perhaps, I'll make your blood an exemption." The shorter woman giggled. "I think yours will taste very very sweet."

It was another nonsense topic. It was certainly a complete waste of her time if she would take her talk seriously. Her mouth should only be used for the benefit of her own mission and must not be used as a key to her own downfall. To mingle more with the enemy was a huge violation of a battle's guidebook. And to even feel the slightest concern toward Michiru was life-threatening. The fight had started and she mustn't loose. "And what do you intend to do in a place like this?" She must be serious with this job no matter what.

"This is the first piece I'm going to move."

The angel observed patiently, watching every bit of the princess' steps. By the looks of the place itself, only nasty people resided in it – people who had voluntarily gave their souls to the devil himself, people who threw their guardians by their own hands, people whose salvations were so very far away for they themselves refused to be redeemed.

They reached to a gloomy corner where a circle of ragged teens savagely sat around a smoking substance. Four boys and a girl looked like more of garbage than a pile of rotten fruits. Their eyes diverted to where the two was.

"Hello!" Michiru casually greeted them.

Looking astonished for a second, one by one stood up and approached the princess. "Hime-sama!" They called out to Michiru. Their faces looked petrified, scared, weakened by the vision of the woman.

"They know you?" Haruka confusingly questioned the other being. "How?"

Michiru giggled, entertained on how the group fancied over her. "Nope! Never even meet them."

They could hardly stand barely supporting their weakened body, limping but they were staring at the princess as if there was nothing in the world but her.

Michiru blew dark air over the youngsters and they inhaled it vigorously, taking in every bit of air blown. Their eyes rolled over their heads feeling satisfaction from the demon.

Haruka looked at the sight and felt the oddest.

"You must really be wondering on how in the world they know me." Michiru turned to Haruka. Her hands still caressed the negative energy surrounding her. "Do you see that?" She pointed to a tiny wrapped up paper amidst a sugary substance where the smoke was emitted. "That's how they know me."

"Prohibited drugs."

"Cocaine."

To sympathize or not, Haruka couldn't even decide. Illegal drugs were Hell's most effective instruments of destruction. As Heaven was sending their scarce guardians, Hell didn't have any problem with scarcity of evil in the world for the humans themselves were the ones creating their very own Hell. At a very young age, those kids already saw the face of darkness. They became aware of the princess they chose to worship. Those drugs couldn't make hallucinations. Those drugs made themselves be embraced by the demon and so the demon showed herself to them. Woe to those young souls! They knew nothing but grief and death as they threw away their privilege of enjoying what life really was. "And are you just going to use them?"

"They are my pieces. They will obey my every whim." Michiru faced the kids. "Listen, my loyal slaves, look," she pointed back to the object of their session. "Your supply is running low now. And you're not going to see me again. Do you want that?"

They shook their heads, their eyes like beaten dogs.

"Now, what are you going to do?"

"Must buy more! Must have money!" They responded in chorus with hypnotized voices. Every tone made was in accordance on how Michiru's voice sounded playfully in their ears.

"Good, children."

"Yes!" One boy snapped, spoke, and gathered his comrades. "We must get more money for our supply."

"But where?" Another one replied.

Silence. The group completely forgot their encounter with the Hell's princess.

The girl was about to returned to her seat in the circle when she stepped upon an apartment key. She picked it up and read the complete address in its key chain.

"That's it!" The boy quickly grabbed the key. "We hit the jackpot, guys! Let's gear up!"

"What are we going to do?"

"We'll make the lucky owner of this key pay everything of what we need. Make him pay with everything he has. Steal everything of what his apartment can offer to us."

Gloriously, the punks left and disappeared through the alley.

Haruka breathed harder. "Why did you give them Chiba-san's key?"

"Oh, am I not suppose to give them that?" Michiru continued to play with the angel. Her voice imitated a saintly appeal. "Come to think of it, there is really no rule about this game, isn't there?"

"You can't do that!"

"I can't? Well, stop me if you can." Michiru laughed and she was laughing pretty hard that echoed her voice to every alley in the city. The first victory could be hers. Flames appeared under her and her body vanished without a trace.

TO BE CONTINUED 

Author's Notes:

Prohibited drugs are not good. Yes, they may make people see hallucinations from the underworld. But these hallucinations may not necessarily be as beautiful as what the princess was.

Reviews are always nice.

Thank you for your time.

(Version 2)


	3. Phase Two

MY RED ANGEL

by First-GeNeSiS

Disclaimer: I don't own Sailormoon, especially the characters, Haruka, Michiru, Usagi, and Mamoru. I'm just borrowing them to give their lives a little bit of spice and give the readers a taste of fanfic imagination. On beliefs, please note that I am not focusing on a specific religion in this story. Again, this is fanfiction!

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Chapter 3

Haruka lifted her head from the table where she had dozed off. Startled by the morning, she jumped and was even more stunned when Mamoru walked pass through her. Everything seemed all right. The TV, Ref, A/C, all of Mamoru's belongings was still there in the room. And Mamoru even had enough money from his little safe to stuff his wallet for his daily usage.

Haruka couldn't thank enough the Heavens for this. She had been praying all night for her human's safety from the robbers Michiru had spoken to that night. With those kids completely in a trance by Michiru's overwhelming power, Haruka could only pray for a miracle that those kids might at least be enlightened on the things they were about to do. She seemed to succeed. She never gave up hope on those kids although she knew that getting to their consciences with her prayers was a huge risk.

"'Morning, sleepyhead!" Michiru appeared from nowhere. "What happened to you?" The demon seemed to notice already the stress the angel was having. "We only had the first game and yet, you look like you've been to hell and back."

The door slammed. Mamoru had left for his morning classes.

"I won." Haruka pulled herself together. She attentively stood straight despite the aching feeling of her whole body.

Michiru completely ignored her. Her hands were busy feeling every bit of object she could get hold of in the room. First, the sofa, then the glass table, the TV, every object there was.

"You failed with the robbers. The first game goes to me."

"Me? Fail?" The word caught the demon's attention. "Let's just see." She wasn't bothered at all. "So, you really were trying hard to stop them, weren't you? That's why you look so tired right now." She thoroughly examined the heavenly creature. "Don't tell me you used all of your powers for that!"

"I am not drained out. Heaven has its ways."

"Yeah, right."

For some reason, Michiru became silent. Her barren eyes reflected again another being that Haruka failed to know. Haruka had seen those eyes before. Yet, the blond had no idea whom those eyes were for what she knew, the princess of darkness yield deep dark secrets that Heaven wouldn't know.

"So, aren't you going to start the second round?" Haruka asked, breaking the deadly silence.

"But, you look so tired." There she was again with her deceivingly concerned tone. "You better rest for awhile. The next game will sure require all of your energy."

"I am fine."

"Really, Haruka." She giggled endlessly, seeing through the angel's pride. "Let's call it a 'break'". She sat. "But if you're still uncomfortable with me not continuing the game, then, I'll just inform you that Mamoru will be playing a huge role on this one." Tossing a hair, through the window she caught sight of the hovering building of Mamoru's university. "I wanted to do this while he is still at school. But I presume that doing that will just make a big ruckus in the whole campus. And we don't want that, do we?"

"It's not part of your initiation?"

The woman smiled. "I hate doing more of what I am assigned to do."

"So, you'll wait for him, then." Haruka was still in her stance of distrust.

Michiru nodded. "You know what," her eyes diverted to Haruka. "I was really not this expressive back in hell. It's so ironic that I'm more comfortable talking to an angel than talking to my father's minions." Her speech had softened but it still retained her domineering attitude.

"Perhaps it's because you prefer having friends rather than ruling subjects."

"Friends?" Michiru seemed to despise the word. "As expected of an angel's words."

"Don't you have any friends?" More and more, Haruka loosely talked to her.

"I don't trust anybody."

"You said that you're comfortable talking to me. So you trust me then?"

"I just said that I'm comfortable talking to you. I don't mean I want to be friends with you." To Haruka's ears, the words were harsh and insulting.

"You're a demon after all." Haruka reminded herself.

"And you're an angel."

There was no way Michiru could be close to her. The only way for Haruka to do that was to treat her fairly as an enemy. She was just being good. As what Heaven taught her, there was always a good side to everything. The same concept might apply to the princess. "Why do you have to be evil?" Softly, she asked. Involuntarily, those words just came out from her mouth not knowing on what exactly she meant by them.

"I beg your pardon?" Michiru realized the absurdity of the question.

"Why must there be Hell?"

"Why must there be Heaven, either?" The demon countered.

Haruka understood.

"Hell is the only place for humans with unfulfilled dreams and hopeless desires. It's the only place that humans can seek refuge to fight an eye for an eye in the cruel lifestyle of the world. It's the only way they can survive without losing their minds amidst this chaotic damn world." Michiru grinned. "They just want to continue living and retain strength."

"But if all people will just understand each other and be compassionate with one another then this world won't be chaotic as it is now."

"Right," she agreed. "That is, 'IF'", mockingly stressing the word. "But like the world, there's always the good side and the evil side of the humans. And do you know that a lot more humans than you think have desires that arises from their evil side?"

"They have consciences. They know what to do. I trust them."

"You trust them but can they trust their own consciences?"

The question silenced Haruka for a while. The modern humans were far from anything than what they were scores ago. As time passed by, immoral doings and unethical issues were the most common. It couldn't be helped. They were evolving for the worst. Michiru was right. Humans nowadays were just too independent to express their desires, to express what they feel, some to express their youth. However, not all desires were moral enough to be let out in the open. And when their desires overwhelmed their entire being, all of their rational thoughts crashed. Could Heaven really trust a human's conscience? Haruka was asking the same.

"Everything comes down to the person's decision." Michiru sighed. "And you can't do anything about it."

"That's not true!" the other almost reacted violently.

Michiru laughed, stood and went up to Haruka. "Let me ask you." She traced the taller woman's collar, going down to her shirt's button. Her finger slid, her ring brushed against the white fabric. "Seeing how you talked, how you dressed, how you carry yourself, don't tell me you don't have a desire unfit for an angel, especially unfit for a Na-shi."

"What do you mean by that?"

"Tell me, Haruka, that not once you desired a woman."

"What?" Shocked, Haruka froze. Was Michiru seeing right through her?

Michiru's chuckles became louder than before as she seemed to succeed in manipulating the angel in front of her.

"That is ridiculous! I am a woman. How can I?" Her hands were sweating as she was all in defense. She pondered, to desire a woman, to desire the princess of darkness herself. She did consider the possibility but she was undecided. Never could Haruka desire her. Michiru was playing with Haruka, tempting her. It was the demon's temptations that left the angel wavering. And Haruka should be strong.

"So, you don't have such desire?"

"E", she must be strong.

"You never lust?"

"E", she must be strong at all cost.

"Too bad, because, somehow, my body seems to want you."

"Eh?" and the princess left her speechless again.

Phase 2. A human's love

Haruka orbed back to Mamoru's unit. Dealing with the demon face-to-face was becoming tedious, especially on how she defended herself from the temptress Michiru was. To prevent the demon from getting her, Haruka had been following Mamoru all over the campus for the whole day. True to her word, Michiru didn't even come near the campus' walls at all.

"Welcome back!" Michiru was lying on the bed, waiting. "So, Mamoru is on his way here?"

Haruka nodded. "Usagi is with him."

"Perfect." The princess purred, her lips scheming on a plan Haruka knew that it would be worse than what she expected.

"What are you planning now?" Haruka's stare of suspicion was sharp. Something will happen and it was better if she could see what this woman wanted. But such intent was close to impossible.

Michiru smiled again with a face that can beckon both dusk and dawn. "You'll see." Her robes fell like falls of fire as she stood and headed to the door. Passing through, she faded.

Haruka heard a couple of voices. Shortly, the door opened wide and revealed Mamoru and Usagi chatting. They were unconditionally enjoying each other's company. In Mamoru's eyes reflected the beauty of happiness.

'Game 2, Mamoru's love.' Haruka remembered. Game 2 was the game directed to Usagi. She was certain that Michiru was aiming for Usagi. The question was what would she do to her? She could easily drug her to leave Mamoru or she could do the worst, kill her.

"Mamoru-kun!" A familiar yet distant voice called out from the barren hallway.

Interrupted, the couple sought for the sight of the stranger. Both looked confused, the girl surprised or was it terrified?

"Mamoru-kun!" The sounds of the heels became audible. "I finally found you. It's been a long time, hasn't it?" Michiru, dressed in a sophisticated urban look and a modern attitude, finally came close.

Mamoru seemed more surprise than his girlfriend. "Who…" His irresolute line continued itself through his eyes. Indeed, Mamoru couldn't remember on who this woman was or simply said, he had really no idea what in the world this woman was and how she could possibly know him.

"Who is she, Mamo-chan?"

"I, I," he really didn't know.

Alas! She turned herself human; it was the least likely to be done for a human's devil or a human's guardian. It was not explicitly forbidden to be done but with the existence of it through the tradition for hundreds of centuries since the beginning of man, a tempting spirit nor the conscience' guide would never make itself visible to the human's sight. Yet, Michiru broke such spiritual custom.

"What?" Michiru had a surprise look. "You already forgot about me." Making a step closer, she locked a hand on the man's arm. Her other arm slipped to his back, and from Haruka's own eyes, saw her fingers ghostly passing through Mamoru's physical skin, from his nape going to his brain.

For a second, Mamoru had felt the disturbance inside her brain as the demon literally manipulated his thoughts, his memories.

"Michiru? What are you doing here?" Mamoru looked disturbingly nervous.

'Oh god!' The angel unstably looked for ways to return the whole situation to normal. She couldn't believe what Michiru did to Mamoru. To alter his memories for her own benefit, such was a very lowly trick. An eye for an eye, she had to fight back. For this sake, Haruka should make herself human as well. What Michiru can do, she could do it as well.

"Mamo-chan? How do you know her?" Usagi was sick with worries.

"Ara you didn't tell her about us?" The woman pressed her body against Mamoru's arm.

"What is the meaning of this?" The smaller girl was shaking. Her chest must have been drowned with questions and an overwhelming feeling of indescribable anger. There was already resentment in her eyes, a hopelessly painful jealousy.

Mamoru stammered. "Usagi, I can explain." A huge remorse was lurking behind his words. His memories caught him cheating from Usagi. These horrid memories tormented his situation and such memories were his accepted truth. There was no way guilt won't exist and it was already torture to have it for Mamoru.

"I can't take this. We're through!" At a defeat, Usagi ran to where Mamoru couldn't reach her while still having a demon holding back his arms. An innocent girl like Usagi, no matter how pure and true her love was, was never been immune to jealousy nor envy. A girl with a pure heart was a very easy prey to a high-grade sophisticated demon.

Just finished transforming to a human form, Haruka clothed herself to the likeness of an urban human though she came out to appear as a very attractive modern bachelor. She only had four hours before her form expired and no matter how constraining time was for her, she should do whatever it takes to make Usagi get back to Mamoru for it is only Usagi whom Mamoru could find true love with. With her away from him, Mamoru's fate was strangled. The temporary memories created by Michiru for him would sooner vanish. When that time comes, he would have no clue what hit him. And he would be left broken-hearted and deprived for the rest of his life.

As Haruka reached the scene, she caught the sight of Usagi running toward the elevator. The girl looked so depressed with tears welling from her eyes. The angel ran to her quickly as she stepped in and joined the girl inside.

The elevator descended. Looking at Usagi moved her. If Michiru wasn't too cruel, there was no reason that this nice girl would ever cry. The couple was once happy. Their feelings were totally ideal and a subject of envy. And yet, Michiru just continued to do her job. "Hey, are you alright?"

The girl's sobs were consuming her words.

"Fight with your boyfriend?" she continued to play the role of the good stranger.

Usagi nodded.

Talking with a saddened girl was never an easy thing to do. And Haruka was doing her best to send out her sympathies. "Don't worry about it. I know you two will be back together again in no time."

"No! I don't want that." She screamed. "I hate him!"

Haruka couldn't blame her. If only she could tell Usagi that the woman upstairs was nothing more but a demon playing with them. It was the only valid solution to apply yet forbidden to use. The princess of darkness was after Mamoru. Usagi would never believe her. "Are you sure you hate him now?"

Usagi became silent.

"Why would you even hate your boyfriend?"

"It's because…"

"Because?"

"It's because he's cheating on me!"

"Are you sure he's cheating on you?"

"Yes!"

"Really?" Haruka taunted to make the conversation a little informal. She just had to convince her and everything would return back to normal. "Why would he do that? As what I can see here, you are a very beautiful girl and my intuition says that you're even more beautiful on the inside. Your boyfriend would never cheat on you."

"Thanks for the compliment. But you just have no idea of the situation right now. You don't know what happened."

Haruka's well of words went dry for a sad girl. When human emotions were involved, everything seemed difficult to be intervened. She could totally see through Usagi's eyes both pain and anger caressing the depths of her emotions. It was just right for her. Usagi was human after all. If only Haruka could do something about it, then she could at least affirm herself to be an angel.

"Mister," A charming Usagi caught Haruka's attention. "Do you want to go out with me?"

Ground floor was reached. The elevator doors opened.

TO BE CONTINUED 


	4. Phase Three

MY RED ANGEL

by First-GeNeSiS

Disclaimer: I don't own Sailormoon, especially the characters, Haruka, Michiru, Usagi, and Mamoru. I'm just borrowing them to give their lives a little bit of spice and give the readers a taste of fanfic imagination. On beliefs, please note that I am not focusing on a specific religion in this story. Again, this is fanfiction!

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Chapter 4

"I beg your pardon?" For a second, Haruka heard Usagi asking her out. The girl couldn't have meant it. There was no way that this nice innocent girl would be asking out a complete stranger. There was just no way.

"Oh, do you still have something to do after this?" In a very childlike appeal, Usagi questioned.

"Ummm… no, but…" Or perhaps, Haruka was wrong. Nice girls could be aggressive as well.

"Good, can we have tea?" A huge smile began to form across her face as she stretched her back, her arms now comfortable. "I prefer mine to be iced. I think a cold drink is what's best for me right now." She quickly grabbed Haruka's arm. "Dewa, shall we go?"

Haruka's surprise choked her own words. Yes, Usagi was depressed then but she just couldn't ask anybody to go out with her. Well, Haruka was an angel, but still, if she was not with Haruka, then who would she ask? "Ummm… are you sure you want to go out with me." Her tone was half friendly and half scared with this girl dragging her out of the building.

"Yeah! Why not! You seem pretty nice…" She murmured to herself. "And quite good-looking. Perhaps we could be even more than friends."

Well, Haruka did manage to lift Usagi's spirits up. Unfortunately, this kind of approach was not really the thing she had anticipated for. For goodness sake, Usagi didn't even know her name! Haruka knew what was happening. Behind the cheerful facade was a pit of betrayal's despair. This was wrong. Haruka wanted Usagi to cheer up but not through masking the horrid reality. It was crazy. This would just later lead to a more painful truth. "Miss, listen to me." Haruka halted and rested her hands on the girl's shoulders. "You just can't pour your feelings to anybody, especially to a stranger like me. Try to be strong. If you're depressed now, let it be. Don't hide it but please bear in mind that things will go your way so you don't have to feel hopeless or anything."

The girl listened to the blond carefully. She nodded while holding back her tears. "Thanks," and then again, the only way she could continue the conversation was to put on again her joyful mask. "How about that tea?"

Indeed, Usagi sure had a lot of learning to do. Though relieved, Haruka just couldn't abandon this girl beside her. As an angel, it was her obligation to make happiness out of sadness and hope out of despair.

Phase 3. A human's life

The two entered in a café just a block away from Mamoru's apartment. The sun was setting and a lot of people were already hanging out inside the café. Students, workers, and couples became the drinking crowd.

Usagi looked comfortable now, lax and joyful as if nothing had happened. "Ne, what is your name again?" Looking so innocent, she sipped unto her straw.

Haruka sighed. "Just as what I have told you. You shouldn't pull out strangers easily, you know. Some people are dangerous especially in a city like this."

"And I already had told you. My instinct tells me you're a good person. And my instinct never fails. So, what's your name?"

"I assume that it's the same instinct that tells you that your boyfriend is cheating on you."

Usagi pouted. "Well, just tell me your name. To be fair, I'll go first." She straightened herself. "Tsukino Usagi. Anata no namae wa?"

Haruka smiled. Usagi's unique aura finally opened her. "Haruka. Boku wa Haruka desu."

"Haruka-san ka?"

"Hai."

"Don't you have a last name?"

"Haruka is fine." Well, she just couldn't tell her she was Mamoru's angel.

"O.K., so we're acquainted and we're friends now, ne?"

Haruka nodded. Usagi seemed to be quite interesting. Haruka didn't really know that until now. She was really perfect to be Mamoru's future bride. "Usagi-chan, aren't you afraid of me?"

"Ah! You're not talking about the dangerous persons in the city again, are you?" She sighed. "Don't worry, angel-sama, I don't give my body to anybody." She seemed amused playing at her words.

"Angel-sama!"

"Yep! That's what you are! You worry like an angel."

"I do?"

The girl nodded.

"Well, you said it yourself that I'm a nice person." Haruka got a heave of relief although she was already more than aware now that she really needed a lot of instruction to live more like a human person.

Usagi giggled. "As what I have said, I'm a big girl now and I can do the judging for myself already. I know who are dangerous and I know who aren't. Besides, I'm not that too stupid to sleep with anybody if I'm depressed or something." She thought for a while. "Although I know somebody who does it, perhaps I should consider it."

"No, you mustn't!" With a voice so loud, all eyes in the café diverted to the blond. "Gomen!" Haruka resumed her moderate tone. She couldn't help it. Her reflexes as an angel were working at their best.

"Sugoi! You worry for me that much?"

Haruka noticed the twinkles in Usagi's eyes. May it be from sincerity or fallacy, it didn't matter because those eyes were indeed beautiful. "I just don't want you to get hurt."

"Hai, hai!" She then came into a hush. "Let me just tell you Haruka-san that I don't sleep with anybody who I'm not in love with. I always keep in mind that when I do that, I would be killing myself. I don't want to lose my self-respect."

"Killing yourself." Haruka paused. "Losing self-respect is same as killing oneself, and lose one's life?"

"Hai!" Usagi sipped on her drink more. "I read that in a book somewhere. I just forgot the title."

'Crap!' Taking in a full realization, the blond quickly stood up. "I'm sorry, Usagi. I… I… have to go somewhere. It was nice to meet you. Just continue to smile, O.K.?" In a second, she dashed out of the café and ran back to the building.

She could have thought about it sooner. Michiru was currently with Mamoru. Game 1 and Game 2 were done. Michiru was already working on Game 3. Haruka always assumed that the third game was about Mamoru's safety -- prevention from accidents, thugs, anything that could take his life away. For that, Haruka had every precaution prepared for the most important game. But she had let her guard down again. She never thought that the demon was not after Mamoru's physical well being. The demon wanted more, deeper, better.

Now that she had thought about it, she was quite lenient in her duty. Too distracted with winning the second game, she totally forgot that she was first and foremost Mamoru's angel and never must she left his side. Sometimes, even Haruka couldn't understand herself. Perhaps being in Heaven for about 50 years without any human-guarding-duty to be done unsharpened her guarding skills. Excuses, excuses, excuses! She just had to be hurry before everything's too late.

The elevator was slow. If only her human form could orb herself immediately back to Mamoru's apartment, but her angel traits were gone, at least until her human form expires. Michiru must be tempting Mamoru already since the time the angel left. Michiru must have wanted to make a male-slut out of him. The moment he condones is the moment he'll lose himself. He shouldn't! He mustn't!

Running as fast as she could down the hallway, the angel arrived at the closed door of Mamoru's unit. Locked and secured, Haruka in her human form could not get in. She could hear voices inside, one male and one female. Those were Michiru's and Mamoru's. Both seemed to have fun with each other. With time running short, Haruka couldn't remain helpless any longer. Kicking the door with one full blow, Haruka saw the scene uncovering a couple embracing. Michiru was standing with her arms wrapped around Mamoru's neck. With limbs entwining with bodies and crumpled garments covering their flesh, Mamoru looked overwhelmed by the demon's overpowering presence. He was caressing her and he was slowly submitting to her.

"Get away from her!" Haruka demanded with much strong authority.

Michiru looked amused and surprised as she was caught red-handed for the one-step victory of game three.

"And who might you be?" With convicting eyes, Mamoru went up to the angel.

"I'm…" Haruka paused. She didn't thought of who she could possibly claim herself to be and still wield with a valid identity to be messing up with these kind of private affairs of this man. "I'm…" With looks full of endless determination, she shouldn't lose this time. With a pending defeat for the second game, she reminded herself again and again that this was a battle not of weapons but of wits. Mamoru looked viciously terrifying defending both his domain and woman.

Michiru, on the other hand, was annoyingly watching the craze brought by the angel itself and the intriguing question on how on earth Haruka could win in this kind of game.

"Well, speak up, man!"

"I'm Michiru's lover. Michiru is my woman! Get away from her!" She said it. She said it without thinking about it. The words rushed out quickly from her mouth that even her mind itself couldn't control. Could it be from an angel's instinct as well? But it was a lie, or that was how she thought they were.

Michiru's eyes grew at a surprise for a second but then they were replaced immediately by a sinisterly done façade. Haruka couldn't tell exactly what the demon was thinking but she hoped Michiru was severely worried for the angel's upcoming victory.

"You?" The changing gaze of Mamoru between Haruka and Michiru took a lot of seconds before showing what he wanted to say. "You're Michiru's lover?" He was in disbelief. He confirmed to Michiru.

The demon was simply smiling, with nothing to say, neither affirming nor negating the answer to his question.

"I don't believe you." Facing Haruka sternly, Mamoru was at his edge.

"Well, believe it or not, you are in no right to be in…" Haruka wasn't able to finish his sentence when a group of delinquents pushed her aside and rushed quickly into the apartment.

Mamoru became more confused than before. They were the kids whom Michiru talked to in the alley, the kids were carrying bats, canes, rods, and one even held a 38-calibre gun. "Nobody moves!" The gun alternately aiming at its targets while the other kids surrounded the three with their weapons in position.

"What is it now?" With hands on his head, Mamoru couldn't whine more at the troubles coming to him one by one.

"Don't worry, sir. We just want your money and…" looking around. "…a few of your things. We need some dough real badly and I guess you're just the unlucky fella. But if you won't do a trick or two then your life won't be included in our wish list."

Surrendering completely with a gun pointing directly on his head, Mamoru sighed still giving on an evil glance to the blond at the corner.

At its most critical time, Haruka repeatedly pondered on the brink of an angel's downfall – a downfall without dignity. She couldn't even stop average mortals. It was disastrous. It was the most hideous time to be in a pinch. Teenagers were robbing Mamoru, a kid was threatening him with a gun on his head, and Haruka was leaning there helpless like a mouse celebrating her human life as Michiru's lover. She was an idiot. The whole thing that she did was totally stupid.

Everything was rushing in out of the blue and so rapidly that the angel could really admit that she been taken off-guard with such events. The pacing of the games was so close, even entwining. She could have seen these things sooner but she underestimated the wits of the actual princess. These things were never part of what she expected, for at that moment was only the start of the first and third game.

Michiru remained reserved at the other corner while watching the gangs trashed the place. For some reason, they knew Mamoru's safe was and they managed to open it. And now, he would be left like a hopeless bum after this event was over. Every appliance and device they could carry wasn't left untouched. Even the cellphone and laptop were bagged. Haruka cursed herself while Michiru stayed still making her silent laugh.

At its limit, Haruka finally decided recklessly. Catching the kid with the gun off-guard, she boldly jumped down to him and earned Mamoru's safety from the bullets. The kid lived loyally his name as a delinquent and fought back to the striving blond. Fighting a kid was never fair for she had trouble learning when to hold back or when to fight at her best. Besides, two other kids were hitting her back and shoulders with canes and bats. And with this scenario, it was just right for her to give everything that she had.

Knocking the gun user unconscious, the sight sent fear to the other thieves. Another kid pushed Haruka away and immediately picked up the dropped gun. One by one hurriedly escaped bringing on their stolen objects. Mamoru and Haruka ran as swiftly as possible after the kids. With heavy loads on their bags, their feet couldn't take them farther. Nobody could ever run as fast as they want with such burdensome goods. They knew that their hope in cash were their chains of doom.

The two pursuers cornered the delinquents on the rooftop of the building.

Serenely black, only the night wind rustled through their hair. Michiru was watching the whole scene and Haruka had noticed completely on how the gush of cold air made the slightest shiver from the seductive woman's shoulders. Haruka couldn't ignore that part of her was so upset to this person at the side. But then again, Michiru was just doing her job. And right now, it was Haruka's job to stop minding this beautiful figure at the sides and instead, to be determined on purifying the unreasonable behavior of these kids.

The dark atmosphere hosted the gruesome exchange of words between the two groups with Michiru acting the deceiving neutrality. The cornered became more hostile by the minute with a suicidal bedlam. By the looks on their faces, nobody could ever change their intentions nor make clear their damned delusions.

"Yoshi…" One referred to the other who was holding the gun in his trembling hand. Not all of them seemed to have the courage to continue their destructive act. In the group, some was still wavering, though some appeared to be totally certain of what they were doing and what they will be doing.

"If you're going to surrender yourselves, I'll try to cooperate with the court that your punishment will be mitigated." Assuringly, Mamoru slowly went close. More convincing and promising words came out from his mouth.

"Please, you don't have to throw away your futures because of such a little thing. Your lives are too precious to be wasted with a one-time excitement." Haruka had her say.

The children's disordered eyes silenced their words.

"Come now, let's end this nightmare." Michiru stepped in close to the scene as she acted to be humanely courageous for the supposed-to-be good side.

The demon looked naïve at the situation. There was the scene that neither the angel could understand on what on earth the princess was planning right then at that moment with the kids.

Haruka knew the seriousness of the situation and what she noticed was the rising mood of chivalry coming from Mamoru. With an unbroken spell, it was natural for Mamoru to act like a knight toward the girl he thought to be his and himself to be hers. Protecting the aspiring illusory heroine of justice, he stood infront of her, posing to guard the girl who was acting to be concerned.

Totally pissed off, Yoshi finally pulled the trigger toward the dark-haired knight. With his youthful eyes closed from the horrid reality to be done by his very own hand, shots fired in a simultaneous consumption of the whole round. Metal shells clanked like bells on the hard ground. The short yet long moment of unending force aimed to one, pushed a person back right over the edge.

Mamoru dropped.

"Michiru!" Running to the building's edge, Haruka's voice echoed to the stars seeing the fallen woman with pierced holes from the pistol's shots. Thinking at nothing, she jumped after her and hoped to surpass gravity even more that the angel can be the cushion to the demon's downfall.

Feeling the rising wind and the drops of Michiru's human blood in it, Haruka reached out down below, stretching more of her long arm just to hold a little bit of the woman's scent.

And having to touch the slightest pale of the skin, Haruka grabbed hold, more tightly as she unconditionally pulled and caressed the whole of Michiru's frame laying the wounded person on her very own chest as the angel hoped for a corporal salvation. 'Four hours…' Four hours lasted her humanly traits and she was praying to the heavens its end. In her arms was an unconscious being and what she had yearned right now and then was to save this sleeping person.

Haruka closed her eyes prepared for the untimely end of their human lives when finally large gallant white wings swiftly sprouted on her back. At first folded to embrace the beautiful princess and finally taking flight at its fullest, they carried the angel and the demon to a sanctuary of another story.

TO BE CONTINUED 


	5. In Heaven

MY RED ANGEL

by First-GeNeSiS

Disclaimer: I don't own Sailormoon, especially the characters, Haruka, Michiru, Usagi, and Mamoru. I'm just borrowing them to give their lives a little bit of spice and give the readers a taste of fanfic imagination. On beliefs, please note that I am not focusing on a specific religion in this story. Again, this is fanfiction!

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Chapter 5

Haruka laid gently the wounded being amongst the soft linen in one of the angels' quarters.

"Haruka-sama", Shizuka standing by the door and carrying a basin of fresh and clean water looked disturbingly worried. "You do know that it's forbidden to have an outsider be brought in heaven without the master's permission. And… and…" She bit her lip. Her mind was on the verge of comprehending Haruka's unexpected actions. "To bring the princess of hell in heaven…" She looked away from the scene. All in disbelief, she couldn't even dare to continue what to say.

"Iie, Shizuka-san." Haruka received the basin. "Ningen da. She's bleeding. As long as she's human, she can't be the one sent from hell." She silenced the other angel.

"If that's what you want." Shizuka came to a retreat. "I'll be in my room in case you're going to need me."

"Domo."

Haruka resumed cleansing the woman. Michiru was still unconscious yet breathing heavily possibly with the number of shots received by her tiny body. Carefully, she removed the bloodstained dress and worked on wiping the wounds and removing the bullets out. There was no way Michiru would die. At least that was how she could think. Yes, she was human but she would forever remain an immortal unless willed by an angel's victory. And right now, even if she would try to let the demon die in her own hands, it would be a victory or perhaps not. The principle of nature was that a victory is not by death but by true defeat.

Michiru's body withdrew with every bullet pulled out and her sweat unendingly flowed on her shuddering skin. When Haruka finished treating the wound, she let the woman calmly lay down for awhile. For the first time she noticed how bare she had left Michiru from tending her. On the bed was a figure subject to admiration. Michiru had a malleable sense of femininity shown by her perfectly made contours. She had the most amazing form of a slumbered face, long slender limbs and breasts so supple and sublime. Haruka pulled on the covers over.

She pondered on the woman again. Shizuka was right. Michiru was Michiru and a princess would forever be a princess, a dark princess. Besides, she couldn't also believe it herself. To bring Michiru in heaven, it was so unexpected for her to do. In a matter fact, it was close to impossible for her to be doing such a thing. Remembering what had happened earlier, she actually dove down from the building. But at that time, she was sure that she could only see the falling princess. Acting without thinking, it was an irresponsible behavior. And repeating it by bringing the princess with her was even worse. The reason she rooted on was that Michiru was in her human form and as an angel, she felt obliged to tend to her. Actually, she had no reasons at all. She just didn't have any that she could think about.

"Haruka-sama"

She turned and saw Shizuka by the door. "Hai?"

"Master wants to talk to you."

"I see." There weren't any secrets in heaven. "Does he know already?"

"You know him better than I do. Do I need to answer that question?"

She stood and hoped for a more formal conversation. "Should I be punished for my actions?" It was something she should be scared.

"Mamoru got injured in his left shoulder from one of the shots. Instead of saving him, you saved a casualty. That's good if only the casualty wasn't the princess of hell. You know, perhaps nature already gave the princess what she deserved. Yet, you saved her. Not only that, you brought her here."

"And…"

"Just nothing."

"Are you angry?"

"No. I'm just confused. I really don't know what you're thinking."

Haruka smiled. "I'm confused too. I have no idea what I'm thinking." She wandered into the deepest corners in her thoughts. A little frightened, a little tired, a little blanked on what she was doing. Everything felt anything than normal. She had a platonic life in heaven and did everything unquestionably according to her master's wishes. Yet this time was something irregular. She posed doubts of her own actions and decisions. "Yappari, I am really not ready yet." With tiresome eyes, she stared to the other angel. "Gomen na, Shizuka-san. Can you tell the master that I'll talk with him in the morning? I'll just hope for his forgiveness this time."

Shizuka noticed how unstable Haruka was at that moment. "Wakarimashita." Trying to help, her eyes diverted to the sleeping being. "I can take a look at her. I've been caring for sick angels for quite a long time. Perhaps I can be of help to her condition."

With the slightest simper, Haruka gave way as Shizuka examined the wounds and every vital and spiritual signs of the devil.

"How is she?"

"She is recuperating fast." Shizuka answered politely. "Faster than that of a regular angel actually. Her innate powers must have been curing her wounds. I think she'll wake up in no time."

Shizuka's words could bring no greater than joy to her. "Thank you." She looked at the princess again who was sleeping soundly, now breathing normally unlike before. "You've been very helpful."

"You're welcome." She resumed her position letting Haruka stood by close for her to watch. "Are you going to accompany her for the night?" There was already a trace of how much she knew of Haruka's plans and wishes. Though there was a small sense of irritability in her voice, it all ended into a peaceful suppression of who-knows-what her inner emotions reveal. "Staying with her would at least save you the trouble of worrying for her in a distance."

"I'll be with her."

The door closed. The room resumed its silence.

Now, it was only Haruka's breath and Michiru's breath circulating the air. Now, it was only Haruka's warmth and Michiru's warmth filling the emptiness.

"What am I doing?" she asked over and over again.

Haruka's own room was just on the other end of the corridor. There was still time to leave Michiru where she was and for her to carry on whatever duties she had left. She could retreat back to her own bed, to her own sheet, and dream of this whole time to be a sweet regrettable nightmare. However, she just couldn't dare to leave her. Not now, anytime but now.

The night circled heaven, playing on his symphony of darkness until the first light of dawn.

Haruka lifted up her head. Michiru's sleeping face met her gaze. The freshness of the morning bathed her untouched features of her soul. Her hair laid, flowing through the softness of the pillow where her head mounted its fragile shape with a rare woman's unblemished visage. The silky blanket leniently wrapped her shoulders to her small waist. Her breathing silenced. Her rosy lips parted with the tiniest gasp of air flowing, brushing, kissing the pliable layer of her mouth. Then, she moved. Startled for a second, Haruka noticed the arm revealed from the covers of the sheet. The angel felt relieved. A movement was always a good sign.

She straightened herself up in preparation for the presentation to the master that she would partake. Her regimentals were restored. After a good rest, she was sure that any question could be answered. She knew she had reasons and all she had to do was tell those reasons to the master. There was no trace of any difficulty in the situation at all.

By intuition, Shizuka came.

"You're quite early." Haruka looked refreshed.

"I can take care of her while you meet the master."

"I can really count on you, Shizuka-san."

The woman just smiled in reply as she took over the seat that Haruka had used.

Contented, Haruka solemnly departed to somewhere she knew to be a place of endless interrogation. She couldn't run. She couldn't hide. She could never do these things in heaven. Cowardice didn't even exist. For Michiru, cowardice couldn't exist. Walking along the barren angel's corridor, Haruka murmured unto herself a complete mystery. "Why does a demon had to be a very, very beautiful woman?"

Descending from the angels' dorm in the west wing of the Angel 's Palace, Haruka headed to the Master's chamber. There was no way she would get away from the master's clutches with this kind of action. Never had she done such a thing before. All of heaven's rules were cleared to her and since birth she had obediently complied to what heaven taught and wanted her to be. But then came this incident. As a chief Na-shi angel, she shouldn't be doing such unconventional behavior and now, she felt like she was even using her authority for Shizuka to take care of the demon. Her mind was at a loss. Leaving Shizuka to take care of Michiru momentarily was more selfish. It must had been painful for Shizuka to do such a thing. But she was an angel. Surely it was Shizuka's undying goodness to comply to Haruka's request. Perhaps, it was the same goodness that stemmed out from Haruka's own for the suffering princess.

As Haruka reached the chamber, the master was no doubt waiting for her. He was anxiously standing and the creaking of the door just made his face more erringly excited to talk to the Na-shi. She bowed in respect, paying homage with one knee.

"I think you already know why you are called here." He finally started.

"It's about Michiru." She replied naturally, defensively.

"Michiru?" Amused, his brows raised. "You mean the princess of hell."

"Yes."

"Are you getting more casual with a demon?"

For her, it was difficult to affirm. It was difficult to be in the border of breaking another rule.

The master continued with his investigation. "I think you are completely aware of what you have done and what you are currently doing. And I know that you know that what you're doing are different forms of breaches of our rules. I, myself, am extremely worried at the same time confused. You are my best guardian angel and I have to say that I was very disappointed at you."

Haruka couldn't even lift her face up in shame. She was a disappointment. She did ruin her integrity of being Na-shi.

He sighed and looked down on her. "First, you put a human in danger. He was wounded in your care and through your initiatives. Second, did you just save a demon? Third, … and brought the demon in heaven to tend to her wounds? Fourth, she's the princess of hell. She's the future of hell." There was a tone forming. "Of course, maintaining the balance between the good and evil is indispensable in this world. But this 'maintenance work' belongs to nature that even we, the supernatural beings, are incapable of manipulating. If the princess had to fall and who knows what can happen to her, it's part of nature's plan. Yet, why do you have to save her?"

Finally, he, at last, asked the question that neither Haruka knew the answer.

"Why, Haruka?" The question seemed to echo in her ears. "As a matter of fact, I'm very intrigued of how bold you are on the act you had shown -- rescuing an enemy. You do know of a Na-shi's code. Humility, simplicity, and purity formed the Na-shi's being. That's Heaven's rule. You have powers of faith and not of force. You have miracles of prayer to use as a shield. Have you forgotten these, angel? These are the same principles that guide each and every Na-shi here in Heaven. These are the same principles that you are allowed to abide that soon you'll get your victory." He paused for a moment before revealing his insecurity. "I fear that you're diverting from your path. What do you have to say for yourself, Haruka?"

Instead of looking for an answer, in her mind she rebutted almost all of the statements she heard. 'If nature is so good at maintaining the balance, then why was I able to save her? Why was I permitted to save her? If nature was neutral, why was there war and bloodshed fifty years ago? If nature was steady, why is the world tilting to the good side today and then toward the evil side tomorrow? And how can a Na-shi be strong yet vulnerable? Why did she looked confident yet was melting upon demon's sight? Where were her powers that the master had spoken of that perhaps she would be saved by this untimely unusual distracting emotion?'

Her own true reasons were chaotic and totally pathetic. It was how dismal they were that Haruka had convinced herself for them to be a product of yet another fallacy. She just had to make another reason, a more rightful reason. "I am sorry, I have no other valid excuse. The only reason I can think of right now is my obligation as an angel to do good to everybody. It was my fault to have a lack of judgment amidst the pressure of the situation."

His face came to a rest of solace. "I accept your reason. You are indeed an angel."

Haruka sighed in relief. For now, instinct was the best defense after all. It seemed that she could know the reason. The reason was her being an angel.

"But we have to return the princess back where she belong. She doesn't belong here. Who knows what she can do to our place."

"Wakaremashita." Haruka understood. "But can she at least stay in here until she will fully recover? This is not a matter of job but a matter of instinct." Well, such fact was the only thing she was holding unto firmly.

"Hai." He reluctantly agreed.

"Domo arigatoo gozaimasu."

Haruka left.

Outside the chamber were Ko-shis and Na-shis waiting for the archangel to come out. All was looking curious toward Haruka. Their eyes asked questions that their mouths couldn't say. Surely, rumors easily spread. In this case, the news was properly disseminated.

The angels respectfully bowed in greeting to Haruka. Somehow, they didn't lose their reverence nor trust toward her. Haruka affirmed their presences.

As soon as Haruka disappeared from their sight, the once hidden clamor between the angels became evident. Such noise was not easy to ignore and the most effective way to mitigate it was for Haruka to explain everything to them. However, it still wasn't the right time.

Haruka was on her way back up when Shizuka came running to meet her.

"Haruka-san, she's finally awake."

The news ignited her feet, briskly walking back in twice her usual steps. "When exactly did she wake up?"

"Just now." Shizuka barely coped up with the archangel's pace.

"Did you come down right away the moment she awoke? Is she alone in her room?"

"Well, I waited for awhile. I did talk to her."

"What did she say?" The nature of walking itself provoked her.

"Nothing much."

"Doo? Is she alright?"

"E."

Almost running, she climbed the stairs impatiently. "How are her wounds?"

"They're gone." She panted. "I think she has restored her supernatural traits."

"Yokatta." She was almost there, along the long corridor.

"Umm… Haruka-sama." Shizuka staggered as she stopped.

"What's the matter?"

Just meters away from the room, the suspense was killing the poor angel. She was undeniably anxious to see Michiru for no reason. Maybe she wanted to ask her a lot of questions or perhaps, laugh for her victory? But she didn't win the game, not yet.

"Michiru-san ga… Michiru-san ga…"

"Dooshite?"

"She doesn't remember anything."

The corridor fell into stillness.

Haruka unenthusiastically resumed to walk.

"I talked to her." Shizuka walked beside her. "It seems she had forgotten everything. Amnesia, perhaps."

The angel silently grunted with every heavy step.

"I was even the one who told her, her name", she continued. "Michiru. Just Michiru."

"Did you tell her that she was from hell?"

Shizuka shook her head. "I didn't even tell her that she is the princess of hell."

"Good."

All uneasy, Haruka finally stopped foot away from the door. Her feet seemed to freeze as if totally dense.

"Aren't you going in?" Shizuka noticed her perplexity.

With a light tap on the smaller woman's shoulder, she declined. "Take good care of her. Onegai-shimasu". She retraced her steps, heading back to the sole comfort of her room.

TO BE CONTINUED 

From the Author:

Merry Christmas! How are you all doing, everyone? How do you find this chapter? Disappointing? Don't worry. There are still a lot of things that's going to happen in this story.

I hope you like the fic not only because of its theme but also on how the story is flowing so far. When I received the reviews of the first chapter, boy… if you only knew how I felt reading them. I was very happy yet scared. No, more like it was tension. I felt a little bit of pressure when reviewers said that they liked the idea and were looking forward to reading this fic and what will happen to these two characters. I didn't really imagine that many would find the story to be interesting. But I'm glad they had such impression. :-D

I wanted to acknowledge everyone but I took the time to answer personally the last few reviews.

petiyaka

An innocent angel fighting an evil princess? Yeah, I'm still thinking of what "kind" of fighting they'll be involved in. Hehehe…

hunter007

You found chapter 5 to be exciting too, eh? I also like it, especially the last part. I'm thinking of sketching it and capturing the scene itself. I did some sketches before from my previous fics. This is from The Project. http/ is supposed to be a URL there. If you cannot see it, just visit my profile page and the "homepage" should link to a picture I made for The Project.

HarukaT.2009

I'll try my best to be fast in updating this fic!

Triger

I promise that there will be a lot of exciting parts in this story.

king of warlords

As requested, this is your Christmas gift! I made sure to upload this on time for Christmas.

Leena9

I'm updating! I'm updating! Thanks for your comments. I'm not really particular with grammar. I'm always thinking of the story. Am I being selfish? Hehehe… Anyway, I truly appreciate you pointing out some minor mistakes. They were helpful.

SilentKing

You might read this much later than the day I uploaded it. The latest review I read from you was that of chapter 2. My happiness I felt was immeasurable when I knew that you were taking time in reading my fic. Sometimes, I wonder if I know you. Perhaps, you're just someone who I always see everyday since you reminded me of a person dear to me who had always treasured my fics. Unfortunately, she's already busy at the moment in a university, living a life different from mine, though I wish that our paths may cross despite the changes and challenges we encounter that may even lead to painful forgetfulness of the other's existence. I remember your reviews about me having a fascination about occult things and the metaphysics. Actually, I am not that thoroughly oriented with these things. I just write what I imagined. I'm looking forward to more of your reviews in the future.

Merry Christmas Everyone!


	6. New Face

MY RED ANGEL

by First-GeNeSiS

Disclaimer: I don't own Sailormoon, especially the characters, Haruka, Michiru, Usagi, and Mamoru. I'm just borrowing them to give their lives a little bit of spice and give the readers a taste of fanfic imagination. On beliefs, please note that I am not focusing on a specific religion in this story. Again, this is fanfiction!

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Chapter 6

"Haruka-san?" The door creaked. A small glossy eye tried to take a peek into the room.

Filling the air with one deep breath, Haruka laid back in her chair full of unreasonable frustrations. She let go of the pen she was holding and knew immediately the presence of the cherub. "Mai-chan," she posed a weak smile. "What are you doing here?"

The little girl quickly went in and tagged unto Haruka's shirt. "I missed you, Haruka-san!" Her lips pouted. "You've been in your room eversince yesterday morning. I want to play with you." She glanced behind the blond only to see a well mended and untouched bed. And looking at Haruka's depressed-like face raised a question in her head on what on earth Haruka had been doing since she came back two days ago.

"Gomen ne, Mai-chan. I still have a lot of things in my mind right now."

"Nande? Nande?" Mai's tiny hands messed up the papers loitered on the table. "Are these your work? Did the master ask you to do this?" She rested and placed unto the blond, a pair of suspicious eyes. "Or is it something to do with that person you brought here the other day? Shizuka-oneesan is taking care of her right now, you know. So, you don't have to worry about anything." She pulled the archangel with much childish force and a determined look. "C'mon, let's go out and play! Haruka-san, pretty please."

Haruka was about to reply when the door suddenly opened wide.

"Shiro-san!" Both were startled.

"Aren't you going to knock first before opening a door of a personal domain?" Haruka stood annoyed.

"You forgot our regular meeting." He remained stern.

Haruka silently cursed her unreliable memory. "I'll be there."

"You better be. You're already thirty minutes late." The angel went back to where he came from.

"Just great!" Mai couldn't help but whine. "How can we play now?"

Haruka mended the messed up things on the table. "Maybe some other time, Mai-chan. This is really an important matter."

"An important matter?" The little girl questioned in disbelief. "I know what this meeting is. You, Shiro-san, and the master will just sit around a small round table and drink tea. Yes, yes, you can't fool me. I once peeked on you three when Shizuka-oneesan was serving you the tea. Most of the time, you three were just silent. You were not discussing things at all. That's not a meeting!"

Haruka stared at the two small but serious eyes looking at her. There was anger and determination but behind these admirable traits was a small confusion of the child, unsure of what she was really describing. Then again, she was truly an innocent cherub. The blond bent and sat to the level of Mai. "Don't worry. I promise. We'll play after we meet the master."

"Hontou?"

Haruka nodded.

"Yehey!" Mai shouted in excitement. "That's a promise, Haruka-san!" Without looking back, she ran down to where her friends were.

Haruka calmly headed to the venue.

It was not usual for her to forget such a meeting since she had been attending it for already fifty years and never did she miss one nor she was tardy. This was the first time. Possessing this negative behavior was truly unacceptable. But then again, she couldn't help it. That day was not her usual happy day. Even just going to the venue was dragging, feeling the passiveness of everything about her. Her steps were heavy. For the first time in fifty years, she was not in the mood to do her duties anymore.

The meeting was regularly done to address the different concerns in heaven and major morality issues on earth. Only three people were involved, the master, Shiro, and Haruka. The agenda ranged from new cherub births to Heaven's updated line of defense. As archangels, Shiro and Haruka were the most trusted for the jobs. These were their inherent duties.

Somehow, she already had the idea what today's main agendum would be. Michiru. The princess of darkness in heaven. Haruka, Na-shi archangel, finally made a successful ruckus. And now, finding out that Michiru had lost her memories left the angel in the verge of perplexity. She had asked the master for Michiru to stay in heaven until she recovers. Since the princess had healed her wounds, how could she find another excuse to let Michiru be in heaven a little more. That was her desire. However, Haruka couldn't even dare to show her face to the princess. She didn't want to. She didn't want to be close to her. Not right now when she knew of her current vulnerability. Feeling the same air that once brushed Michiru's skin, stepping the same ground that kissed Michiru's feet, and smelling the faded scent of Michiru's presence, were enough of a pleasure for her.

The meeting room was vast with a small round table placed at the center. The two men were anxiously waiting for Haruka's arrival.

"I'm sorry for being late."

The Ko-shi nodded in acceptance.

Haruka immediately found her seat.

The master calmly assessed Haruka's archangel status. "I am a little disappointed of your sense of punctuality nowadays, Haruka."

"Gomen nasai."

"Alright then. Putting that aside," the master started. "I hope you are aware of our main concern right now."

Haruka couldn't just play the ignorant. She knew the seriousness of the act she did and though it may have a castigating feel, she couldn't run away. "I accept any sanction, Sir."

He grinned. "I admire on how you take responsibility of your act. But haven't we finished talking about this already? You are released from any sanction unless Shiro here has a justifiable reason for me to alter my decision."

"You see Haruka", Shiro spoke. "We can leave that event behind about you bringing a demon here in Heaven. However, what we are concern right now is for you to return the princess as soon as possible."

"But she is not yet well." She retorted.

"You have to return her back to where she originally belongs." Shiro had said her fear.

"She still hasn't fully recovered."

"Didn't she heal her wounds already?"

"But… but…" Only her mind spoke. 'I want her to stay just a little bit longer.' "She lost her memories. She doesn't know yet that she's Hell's daughter."

"And you want her to stay a little bit longer." The master was as if reading her mind.

"So, she lost her memories." Shiro thought about it for awhile. "Then she is just the same as a newly born cherub in heaven."

"She doesn't know she's evil. She doesn't know that she's Heaven's enemy." Haruka defended more.

"But despite of it, her veins carried the blood of Hell."

"Let me care for her not as a demon but as a normal being. Please, Shiro-san." She turned to the master. "Please, Sir."

"But isn't Shizuka the one caring for her?" Heaven's most powerful did know it all.

"That's…" Words were not on her side. The truth was too difficult to let out. The right reasons needed pondering. "I have my duties to attend to so I had asked Shizuka-san to care of the princess for the time being."

"I'm glad that you didn't abandon your regular duties despite of this crisis."

"I am a Na-shi archangel, Sir. I won't forget again my responsibilities. It was my mistake of bringing an enemy in and disturbed the normal course of activities in heaven. Again, I humbly ask for your forgiveness for it." She paused before asking one crucial thing. "Is it a compensation, Sir, if I heal this fault with my desire to help the enemy?"

Shiro reacted with an outrageous surprise. "Compensation? That's absurd!"

Haruka was about to reply when Shizuka entered the room.

"Sumi-masen. I brought tea." Shizuka approached the table. Behind her was the one carrying the tea, a protégé dressed in plain white angelic robes.

Haruka calmed herself for awhile with curled brows. Both pained and annoyed, she couldn't let Shizuka see what she was experiencing at that moment. She bowed her head, looking down as her hair covered a part of her face. She could hear the pouring of the tea to the master's cup then subsequently to Shiro's, followed by the sipping sound of the master.

"As expected, Shizuka, you have an excellent skill with tea." The master gave the server the compliment.

"Arigatoo."

The gentlemen seemed relax, savoring on the sensation of the hot steaming treat. Relying only her ears to know what was going on, Haruka continued to ponder on the things of what she could say, and what she mustn't say during the remaining time of their meeting.

The server reached Haruka's cup. Tea was the last thing she needed at that moment. All Haruka wanted was just a short break, a short peaceful recollection of everything she had done and everything she was unconsciously planning to do. Her solemn thoughts broke when the server's arm brushed slightly to her own.

"Sumi-masen." It was the protégé's.

"Iie. Nandemo…" Haruka looked up and surprisingly caught the face of the person she least expected to see right there, right then. "Anata wa…"

"Sumi-masen." The protégé excused herself and backed out from the table after pouring the last drop to Haruka's cup.

"Kanojo wa…" Haruka addressed to Shizuka but her eyes were rooted on this new person, or perhaps she wasn't new at all. A neatly tied up aquamarine hair, a supple skin, and though with a very naïve feature on her face, her outlines expressed a sophisticated appeal that neither the purity of her white robes could conceal.

"Ah!" The master broke the thick atmosphere. "Michiru, I presumed." He seemed not surprise. Instead, he was acting on an uninterested façade.

"Hai" The girl bowed in humble respect.

"I just admitted her as one of my trainees." Introducing her properly, Shizuka seemed to treat her to be one of the future Na-shis.

Shiro was unmoved yet speechless, while listening attentively to the introductions. He might seem apathetic. But, Haruka knew that Shiro would never be this unconcerned with such critical matter.

"If you don't mind, Sir, I would like to have an early formal presentation of her in Heaven." Shizuka continued. "It's just a proper tradition."

"We'll talk about it officially in another time."

"Oh, I'm sorry for the interruption."

Haruka had remained in her seat, observing every action of the parties in the room. The master was being nice, Shiro became indifferent, Shizuka was rather being helpful to her, and lastly, Michiru was straightly standing, obediently carrying the tray with the teakettle. Watching Michiru to comply without hesitations nor complains of doing such task was more than weird for Haruka. Her first impression on the princess was nothing like it. Somehow, she grew on the feeling that Michiru might have all this time been pretending not to remember anything when perhaps, she was planning something more and bigger to the beings in Heaven she could catch off-guard. Besides, a demon would be a demon wherever or however she was, right?

The room was still for a moment as each person was so discrete of everything they did. Of course, they couldn't continue the meeting. Not with the subject at hand standing literally at their backs. Shiro's eyes were the only ones moving, glancing back and forth of the sight of Haruka with Michiru at her back. His finger was repetitively tapping slightly the cup's handle. The master had his eyes closed and seemed savoring the tea's taste but Haruka knew that he was just passing time after all.

Haruka was quite nervous. Michiru being there, may she be looking at the angel or not, Haruka was restless. She had the urged to talk to Michiru yet her tongue didn't want to.

Shizuka noticed the discomfort of the three and knew exactly what the cause was. "Excuse us. We will leave you now."

Michiru timidly followed Shizuka back to where they once entered the room. With the two women gone, each seated individual seemed to sigh in relief, relaxing back their once tensed nerves.

"Returning to the matter at hand," The master started. "I have witnessed Michiru's condition just now. She can stay but not long. She can be expelled at any time from Heaven at my discretion."

Shiro didn't seem to object.

"Domo Arigatoo." Haruka bowed slightly, remained cool, despite of how happy she was at such decision. "About Mamoru…" Haruka tried to recuperate her unfinished business.

"He's in the hospital. Usagi is taking care of him. You can put your whole attention here in Heaven as of now. I want to support your approach of compensating your faults."

The meeting continued discussing their regular concerns in Heaven --assessing the angels' skills and Earth's morality. It was almost sundown when the meeting was over. Haruka left Angel's Palace with not much of a heavy burden on her chest. Michiru's stay in Heaven was no longer a subject of debate. They have cleared everything already and what was left for Haruka to do was to know what she was going to do with Michiru. Her responsibility on the demon was never resolved on her part for all this time. She just wanted to be near Michiru. Yet, she was scared to death on what she was feeling toward Michiru right from the very start.

Haruka reached her most favorite place in Heaven, a small hill just overlooking the horizon. An old lonely tree stood tall on it at the center of the ground yielding nothing but soft short grass. It was not a popular place. Neither the cherubs nor the full-grown angels wanted to hang-out on it since not only it was pretty far away from Angel's Palace, its pathway was covered by bushes and shrubs that had an unwelcome appeal. So only a few people dared to come. There, she sat, recollecting her thoughts.

"Hey, are you alright?" Shizuka crept at her back. "I thought I'd find you here."

The voice was more than familiar. Haruka didn't even bother to turn around. "I like it here. So, what do you want from me?"

"I want to ask you something."

"Alright."

"It's about Michiru-san."

"What about her?"

"Do you have feelings for her?"

Haruka choked unto her reply, turning around to look at Shizuka fully. For Shizuka to ask such straight question was very strange for her, not to mention, uncomfortable. Hearing the question, somehow, opened a realization. There was this guilt she wanted to conceal, she wanted to make it unrealized. However, it only took an outside force to open her. "What are you saying?" She couldn't admit so she denied.

"Haruka-sama, don't you think that you are killing yourself with this?" She sat beside her, admiring the same scenic view Haruka was seeing.

"How… I…" How should she start? Where should she start?

"I've been with you for quite a long time already. Although you built around yourself a wall from the other Na-shis, I can feel what you are feeling. Besides, you are avoiding Michiru as much as you're avoiding yourself. You're confused, aren't you?"

Shizuka was too knowledgeable. How? What could she say? Haruka gave in. Shizuka was reading her like an open book. If she was this obvious, did the master and Shiro read her as well? "Goshujin-sama wa, Shiro wa…"

"I'm not sure. It's just that you are acting pretty peculiar when you brought the princess of Hell here in Heaven."

"Is that how you knew?"

Shizuka nodded.

"That's impossible!"

Shizuka became silent, probably, not wanting to argue to the angel one rank higher than her. Her depressed face looked lonely and disappointed.

"I'm sorry." An express admittance was the only solution. "I tried but I just couldn't help it." She looked at Shizuka beside her. Her voice was cracking, resonating the throbbing feeling from her chest. "Am I lewd? Am I normal? What's happening to me, Shizuka-san? Why do I feel this way toward a… toward a… woman… toward a… demon. I'm breaking the rules, right?"

"Not yet."

"Help me!"

"I cannot help you."

"Make this feeling go away."

"I don't know how. In the end, it will be your choice." Shizuka glanced at her side. Knees bent, torso curled, arms tightly wrapped around the legs, Haruka's body looked weak. "Ne, Haruka-sama, what are you feeling?"

"Confused."

"No, I mean, think about Michiru-san. How do you feel while thinking of her?"

Haruka paused searching the image in her head. She stared at Shizuka first, as if ascertaining Shizuka's sincerity toward Haruka's situation. "The thought of Michiru, somehow, makes my heart beat stronger, like it would burst out of my chest."

Shizuka didn't say anything but Haruka came into a more vivid conclusion on her own. "Oh dear Heavens, I love her!" Admitting, she could almost cry in frustration. "But I'm already good in Heaven. Why must I love her? A perfect dream is my reality but the reality I crave will only be my fantasy. I want to love her but I cannot break Heaven's rules. Do I have to decide for Heaven's sake?"

"Haruka-sama, that's how the Heaven will always embrace its angels. It wants you whole."

"Dewa, what should I do?" Haruka's fingers combed roughly her hair. She gazed unto Heaven's darkening scenery. The stars were about to show up. She loved Heaven, she just couldn't turn her back from it. "I hope my heart can continue to restrain this unusual feeling."

"You must decide."

"What do you want me to do?"

"I can't tell you that. No matter what I will say, the last choice will be from you." Shizuka couldn't be more right.

"Wakarimashita."

Shizuka left. Haruka was again alone on the hill with nothing much to do but forced her mind to become lax despite of her heavy puzzlement. Time was not on her side and she must choose as soon as possible to whom and for whom she would devote her whole self to. Heaven versus Michiru. Heaven versus Hell. Heaven was the safest choice. It was the best there was. If only she could dig out her own heart or burn her own free will, then choosing may not be so difficult. She will remain the dog in Heaven's embrace.

"Ano…" A soft and timid voice suddenly called from her back.

Haruka turned, surprised, and couldn't heave a breath. "Michiru." She immediately stood up. Her raised brows asked the question 'What are you doing here?'

Although it was already the second time but looking at Michiru's new look needed a lot of getting used to. This was the side of the demon that Haruka failed to comprehend right from the very start.

"Umm… I just want to… uh… Shizuka-san told me that you were the one who found me and brought me here." Soft-spoken and a well-mannered Michiru left Haruka in a daze. "Thank you."

A reply couldn't be formed just yet. Haruka saw an unknown figure. Michiru changed. No, only a part of her changed for she, Michiru, was still Michiru. Her beauty remained unchanged, shining, and never ceased to captivate Haruka's attention.

"I want to say thank you to you." Michiru seemed sincere and so confident of what she was doing.

Haruka grunted as her eyes never faltered away from the figure. "You're welcome."

Silence.

Both seemed to want to talk but the situation didn't permit them.

"Oh, I forgot." Michiru brought out a small blue wild flower. "This is for you for all the trouble."

At first, Haruka stared insensitive at the small object, but she received it. Her face was betraying her actual feelings. The small flower from Michiru brought Haruka a level of happiness she thought only to be a myth and yet, she couldn't expressly show it. "Domo."

A conversation was ever so difficult to start. "So, what do you think of Heaven?"

"Heaven is wonderful." Michiru looked delighted.

"Do you mind your tasks?" There was still hesitation in her voice.

"Oh not at all. I'm even glad that I could help out. Shizuka is very nice to me."

"Good to know that."

Michiru slowly approached the middle, taking in a more vivid view of the night sky. "Haruka-san, do you like the stars?"

"Not really." Haruka traced the view Michiru was watching. "I like the moon better."

"The moon?" Michiru softly repeated, searching for the moon.

"You can't see it tonight yet." She pointed on a portion of the sky. "The clouds are in the way."

"Ehh? That's mean. When will it clear up?"

"Perhaps a few minutes or so, or perhaps an hour."

"That long?" She demurely sat on the grass and cuddled in the insides of her robes while still looking up to the sky. "Maybe I can wait a little to see the moon."

Astonished, Haruka was fascinated at Michiru's interest. She joined the other woman in squatting and gazing at the starry sky. "Ne, Mi… Michiru-san?" She stammered in calling this who it seemed to be a different person. "Have you seen a red full moon?"

"No. I don't think there's even a red full moon. Is there?"

Haruka nodded. "Its color is more like crimson actually. That's my favorite moon."

"Why?"

"Because it denotes passion." Haruka caught Michiru's attention.

"Oh, you like passion? So, what are you passionate about?"

"I'm not yet sure." Her gaze diverted to the farthest distance of the dark horizon. Her emotions wandered inside her head. "But isn't it nice for one to be passionate about something? To devote oneself to only one thing?"

Michiru fell silent as if cruising into her own state of mind. Her hands clasped over her knees. A gush of wind got entangled in her robes, her face, and shook gently the strands of hair that covered her narrow temple. Her shoulders gave the slightest shiver.

At Haruka's innate command, great white wings sprouted from her back. Her right wing covered lightly around the shoulders of the woman beside her.

Michiru was at first surprised at the soft object suddenly touching and comforting her cold neck. Realizing the wings, she felt at ease, and smiled in thanks to the angel. She looked relax and soothed inside the angel's wing.

"Look!" The angel pointed a part of the sky where clouds began to lift. A pale moon gradually emerged behind the ash clouds. "It's really beautiful tonight!"

Michiru was impressed. "It sure is. But Haruka-san," She suspiciously looked at the seated blond. "Did you just admire a yellow quarter moon?"

The question grabbed the angel to look back at Michiru. She was amused at what she was seeing as Michiru looked pretty unconfident that Haruka had tricked her regarding the confession about her favorite thing. "Hmmm…" She looked away, closed her eyes, and smiled. "I'm not talking about the moon."

TO BE CONTINUED 

From the author:

I'm feeling good so I'm uploading this chapter earlier than planned.

First-GeNeSis thought, "Yappari, it's good to have versatile wings."


	7. Afternoon Sun

MY RED ANGEL

by First-GeNeSiS

Disclaimer: I don't own Sailormoon, especially the characters, Haruka, Michiru, Usagi, and Mamoru. I'm just borrowing them to give their lives a little bit of spice and give the readers a taste of fanfic imagination. On beliefs, please note that I am not focusing on a specific religion in this story. Again, this is fanfiction!

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Chapter 7

Haruka stooped over, panted, and caught her breath. Sweat drops stained the ground.

"At your limit already?" Mai let go of the ball and sneaked under Haruka's curled body as she looked up at the tired angel.

Michiru giggled from the sides. "Gomen na, Mai-chan. An adult body is not that hyperactive as the youngs' anymore." She handed a towel to Haruka.

"Arigatoo." Haruka took the towel.

"You think so, Michiru-san?" Mai-chan turned to the other woman watching them at the side. "But how come you can play with me longer than Haruka-san?" The girl pouted. "Haruka-san is no fun at all!"

"Yeah! We want to play more!" Several other cherubs seconded.

"Hey now!" The reaction from Haruka was in all honesty. Her stamina was saying 'no' and she couldn't ignore it. She had been playing for them for quite awhile but the children didn't tire at all. Her eyes followed Mai as the little girl swiftly hooked up Michiru's hand and dragged her to the center of the playground.

"We're playing with Michiru-san!" She stubbornly stuck out her tongue to the archangel. "Michiru-san is much a better player than you."

"My, my…" Michiru's giggles sounded in symphony as she unquestionably fulfilled the cherubs' wish.

Haruka rested at the sides, catching a breath or two. The towel was now damp from the moisture on her brows. The wet clothes clung against her skin. She watched Michiru playing ball with the little cherubs and she was happy that the angels had gotten pretty close with Michiru. Looking at Michiru smiling and enjoying herself was another wonder she had seen. Everyday, Michiru brought her untimely surprises – from Michiru's own character to how soft she could let go of words from her own mouth.

Up in the balcony, the master and Shiro was looking down at the courtyard where the cherubs played and immediately noticed the fun the children had with their guest.

"Only three days and they play like they've known each other for a year." The master muttered, as he was all amused at the fast development on the beings' relationship.

"They're kids, sire. They are more friendly." Shiro shared his comment as well.

"Perhaps."

"Do you think Michiru is good with the cherubs?"

"I have no capacity to answer such trivial question. Michiru is Michiru. A demon will never become an angel. Never."

The master glided out of the balcony and into the room. Shiro silently followed him.

"Her presence here is lethal." Shiro stood against the wall as the master sat on a large cushion chair.

"Lethal." The master confirmed. "Are you talking about Haruka's situation?"

Shiro nodded. "Haruka-san is already acting weird eversince that demon came here. She's always with that demon. It seems that her mind is full of Michiru in the first place. She is too friendly to Michiru!"

"Hmm…" The master thought for awhile. "Could you be that you're…" There was a little hesitation. "jealous?"

"Jealous?" Shiro countered violently. "Me? Jealous? Of what?"

"Saa…" The master played. "Only you know of that."

"That's ridiculous!"

He laughed a bit but it was shortly followed by an acknowledgement of the seriousness of the situation. "But I have to agree that Haruka's friendliness toward Michiru is going overboard. With this situation, we must return Michiru as soon as possible."

"But Haruka won't agree with that decision, sir."

"If she insists for Michiru to stay until she will be able to recover her memories, then we have no choice but to forbid them to be in each other's company."

With the slightest nod of Shiro, the informal meeting adjourned. Now, the only thing left to do was to inform Haruka with such arrangement and to give Michiru a straight talk.

The once playing cherubs had dropped to the ground, laid while their stomachs rose and fell with every breath they made. Their tired bodies almost brought them into a slumber.

"So let's call it a day, then." Michiru waved to the little angels as she returned to where Haruka was seated. Even after the hard work, Michiru still looked refresh and stunning. Only the tiniest drop of sweat was seen across her brow. Tired or not, it couldn't be determined because as soon as she walked out of the courtyard and approached the seated angel, her gorgeous smile was the one working the magic of attention.

"Hi!"

"Hi!" Haruka greeted back. "You sure showed them what adults are made of."

"Yeah, I guess so. Well, they wanted to play with me after all."

"You're really good in the playground. And I think you weren't even playing seriously with them."

"That's what we call an adult's touch, ne?" Michiru smiled gorgeously.

Indeed, Haruka was impressed. "C'mon! Do you want to go for a walk?" Inviting Michiru, Haruka stood incredibly tall beside the shorter woman.

"And them?"

The cherubs were still lying there motionless.

"Don't worry. They'll be in their rooms in no time."

Michiru chuckled at Haruka's unconcern expression.

Without the slightest clue, Haruka began to walk beside her. Her hands dangled casually at her sides. Michiru was walking elegantly, carrying her body with ever so refine movements. This was just one aspect that Haruka would question her own self on how in the world this damsel-in-distress-material woman beat twelve enthusiastic cherubs.

Every step was full of contentment. The sun was neither too hot nor painful in the middle of the afternoon. Instead, it was bright and calming. There was pure bliss in the atmosphere. Well, as long as Michiru was walking with her, that is. Haruka pondered on some things to talk about but she couldn't help to feel awkward in the moment. The possibility of unintentional tactlessness was one reason. The other was guilt -- guilty of a suppressed desire.

At the corner of her eye, she continued to stare at Michiru and admired everything about her. Her body swayed soothingly as it was carried by a pair of frail-looking feet. The hair, the infant wind that pass through it seemed to be in an espionage to her mysterious aura that let go of a sweet heavenly scent. Hands in tucked. Shoulders rested peacefully.

Another observation on the demon could kill her, the harder it was for her to resist. Haruka wanted to touch her, feel her, smell her closely, and the best, kiss her. And holding back was pure castigation. She must talk, right then, right now. Her attention must be diverted that perhaps this tempting feeling would fade.

"Umm… Michiru-san?"

"Hai?" A brilliant smiled left Haruka breathless.

"Umm… I…" Somehow, looking at her gave Haruka an urge to tell the truth.

"By the way, Shizuka had already arranged my formal presentation here in Heaven. There's no fixed date yet but I'm really looking forward to it."

Haruka just grunted. None of those words could even reach her ears.

"Hey! The sun is almost setting." Michiru's vision passed through Haruka's and unto the golden setting sun.

Haruka turned to catch the scene.

"What a scenic view!"

Haruka bit her lip. "E. The heaven has the prettiest sunset."

"Soo?" Michiru, pretending in a doubt, teased Haruka with her sarcastic tone of voice.

"Dooshite?"

"It's just that I haven't been able to see a sunset other than the heaven's. So I really can't compare. Or at least I couldn't remember another phenomenon like this one." Despite of these words, Michiru wasn't disturbed nor was she regretful.

"But you know what, I think its only today that Heaven made a beautiful sunset."

"Why is that?" The woman curiously asked.

Haruka paused for a moment and casually buried her eyes to Michiru's. "It is showing off for you." A sweet, romantic smile followed. It was a smile she couldn't help to make.

Michiru, looking flattered, giggled innocently in reply. She continued to admire the sun which Haruka spoke to have a goal of impressing Michiru.

All of Michiru's attention had diverted on the sun. 'How could she confess now? But, when will be the perfect time? Alone amidst the nature with the sun as the witness, would it be the exact time to tell her?' These questions filled her thoughts. For the past few days, they had always been together. After she received Michiru's flower that night, Haruka personally asked for Shizuka's surrender that Michiru would be taken care of under Haruka's wing. Shizuka seemed to understand. Days passed and every moment Haruka had spent with Michiru was fulfilling yet so empty. Someone's company was not what Haruka needed. Michiru. Haruka needed everything of Michiru.

"Ne, Haruka-san." Carefully said, "Can I hold your hand?" Her cheek glowed in faded pink.

No doubt, Haruka was startled, surprised. "Umm… yeah."

As two different skins touched, Haruka's heart throbbed hopelessly. It was already a perfect moment. She couldn't ruin it just for a mere confession. She remained at ease.

"Atatakai." Michiru murmured. "Your hand is so warm." Michiru leant against Haruka's arm. "Being like this knowing that someone is there holding feels so safe.

Haruka couldn't agree more. Yet words couldn't be formed.

"Haruka-san, are you happy in heaven? You like it here, don't you?"

"Why do you ask?" The question stunned her.

"Just a question."

"Well," Haruka tried to answer honestly. "Heaven is a very beautiful place. Everybody is so nice to me. All of them are good, and I really don't have any problem in here. There are no things to worry. The master's orders for me are all possibly done with my own hands so I really don't question any of them. Basically, my life is his."

"And you are contented with it?"

There was no answer.

"I see."

"Umm… it was platonic. Perhaps I was happy." Did she lie? Haruka asked herself.

"Was?" Michiru quoted the word. "So you were not happy until today?"

"I mean…" There was a long pause. "Eversince you came here in heaven, it felt so different."

"Different? How?"

Too many questions would lead to too many hidden answers. "Umm… how about you? How do you like it here? How do you find the training workshops I laid for you?" Haruka wasn't prepared yet to answer a truth though the moment was tempting. Finding the perfect time was too difficult. It must be perfect.

Michiru grinned noticing how Haruka evaded her question. "This is my first time seeing this place and I really like it here especially when I'm with Haruka-san."

"Umm…" A gulped. "Uh…" A pause. "Mi…" A heart beating so fast clothe Haruka's body in coldness. Perhaps this was the perfect time she was waiting for after all. To feel this way, now was the time to tell Michiru how she exactly felt. "Michiru-san," she moved a little making the leaning body of the shorter woman stood straight in an ordinary surprise. "There's something I need to tell you…" Haruka faced her, her hands lightly touched Michiru's shoulders. "Actually… boku wa… I…" This was the right moment.

"Haruka-san! Michiru-san!"

The two women turned around to see the person who was calling them. Shiro!

Haruka's hands dropped as her brows curled. In the end, it wasn't the perfect time.

"Shiro-san." Bowing, Michiru greeted in respect.

"What are you doing here? Does the master want to talk to me?" Haruka approached the white angel.

"Iie. Master wants to talk to Michiru-san."

"Michiru-san ni?"

"Watashi wa?" Michiru looked surprised.

"Just some minor business, I think." Shiro added. "He is in his chamber right now."

"Alright," Haruka turned to Michiru. "I'll accompany you to the palace."

"Haruka-san," Shiro's hand stopped her. "I need to talk to you too."

Michiru completely sensed the irregularity. "Daijoubo. I can manage." She left the two angels alone and traced back the path to the Angel's Palace.

"Now what?" Haruka asked annoyed at Shiro.

The two archangels stared at each other sharply as if they're in a silent combat. Standing there wasted a lot of minutes. Yet, Shiro succumbed.

He brought out his palm and opened a small box. "You want some?" They were little round black chocolates. "The Na-shis initially wanted to give you this but since you were not around at the palace this afternoon, they were nice enough to let me have them."

Haruka, looking uninterested, continued to stare bluntly at him.

He picked one and put it in his mouth. "Do you know that they're bitter? But perhaps you already know about this." He examined the chocolates one by one. "I was surprised at first. But the Na-shis said that the more bitter it is, the better. It means that it's really chocolate, a real chocolate." He ate another piece. "But you know what, though bitter, though I know that this is real chocolate and I feel pleasure eating the real thing, I still know that somewhere along the way while eating the whole box, this bitterness can somehow overwhelm me. And maybe tonight, I'll hopelessly get drunk with these chocolates and actual lose my own rationality."

She knew exactly what he mean and it was irritating. "State your point directly."

"You're really getting unfriendly with me lately, aren't you? What's the idea?"

Haruka's thoughts flowed with the answer. He and Haruka had exactly different interests when Michiru was brought to heaven. He was the other side of this debate. Shiro's sharpness was too evident and Haruka didn't like it. If Shiro didn't want to do anything with a demon, then he should leave it that way and never mess around with somebody else's business. He had no right. "Nothing." She didn't want to do anything with this angel starting today. Her face turned away from him.

"Listen Haruka," His voice started to rise up. "Being close to Michiru will lead you to your own death. Can't you see that?"

Haruka stubbornly remained silent.

"Your friendship is not real!"

'Friendship', she thought. 'Who is talking about friendship?'

"Please Haruka, I want to help you. We've known each other for a lot of years already. You have to trust me. Send her back right now!"

"I have enough of this!" She was terribly upset as she began to walk away from the Ko-shi. "I'm going back."

"Why? Why are you doing this to yourself?"

He was calling her yet her feet could only bring her to a single destination she had been yearning for.

For the first time, Shiro appeared so concern in Haruka's presence. He wanted to help, he said. Yes, she was moved by such kind act. But then, it was expected for an angel, even for Shiro.

"Haruka!" With an ever so deep voice, Shiro became deadly serious. "What Haruka, what exactly do you see in her?"

Her feet halted. It was a very easy question. She looked back for the last time and answered confidently with a satisfied vicious grin. "Passion."

TO BE CONTINUED 

Author's Notes:

Here are a couple of questions I want to tackle on.

1. **Do angels have free will? Why is Haruka wavering?**

I think angels do not have free will. They are sent to the world to do Heaven's bidding, either as messengers or as guardians to the human race.

However, I remember a legend/myth/story/etc. that Lucifer is once an angel of God. He disobeyed God's orders and turned away from His principles to form a new realm down below.

As for Haruka, well, I think she's a deviant in the story. This is the question I want the readers to take note while reading the fic. "How powerful is love, alone?"

2. ** Are angels allowed to feel?**

I believe angels can feel -- love, hate, anger, sorrow. However, I don't think that they could feel romantic love. Their love is not that "kind" of love. Hmmm... I also wonder why Haruka was feeling it?


	8. Red Moon

MY RED ANGEL

by First-GeNeSiS

Disclaimer: I don't own Sailormoon, especially the characters, Haruka, Michiru, Usagi, and Mamoru. I'm just borrowing them to give their lives a little bit of spice and give the readers a taste of fanfic imagination. On beliefs, please note that I am not focusing on a specific religion in this story. Again, this is fanfiction!

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Chapter 8

At a shady area just across the entrance of the Angel's Palace, Haruka leant against a trunk of one of Heaven's aged trees. Sturdy and bronze-colored, it supported her for who-knows how long she was standing there, waiting. It was supposed to be a perfect afternoon, warm and calm with Michiru as the perfect company. But as it closed down with the night being opened by Shiro ruining everything, she just had to do anything to somehow compensate such bad fortune. Not to mention, she was all worried sick of what the master and Michiru was talking about all this time.

Finally, Michiru came walking slowly out of the palace. Vague at first, her figure became more evident as the moon's rays gradually revealed part and part of her. Her aquamarine hair glistened in the darkness of the night.

Haruka tried to look normal and undisturbed. She tried her best to look strong and to act dignified for she was Heaven's angel, a determined guardian. Her only dilemma was overcoming on how this woman's presence melted everything inside of her.

"Michiru-san?" Haruka called out happily at first but later on she noticed the woman's disturbed face.

Michiru had so saddened eyes, so different from that early afternoon. "So, you were waiting for me?"

'Is it bad to wait for you?' It was supposed to be her reflexive reply from a very ungrateful tone. But she nodded gently. "You seemed terribly bothered. What happened?"

Michiru couldn't answer at an instant. There was a long solemn silence provoking more secrets. Something surely had happened and this something was the cause of such gloomy atmosphere. Yet, if it comes to worst, Haruka had come to prepare herself. She thought, 'What was worst anyway? Is Michiru gaining her memories? Is she returning to hell?'

A deep sigh followed. "Master wants to talk to you, Haruka-san."

"He wants to talk to me?" She was a bit surprise. "Matte, what did master tell you?"

Before Haruka could ask for hints any further, Michiru had turned away. "Gomen na, Haruka-san." Strangely, she disappeared running as far away as possible from Haruka's sight. Her palms covered her eyes with only crystal-like dews remained floating on the once still path of air Michiru had passed through.

Her frozen body could only see the crying Michiru left. "What did the master tell Michiru? What does the master want from me?"

These two questions remained to haunt her while walking to the master's chamber. She was indeed feeling mighty uncomfortable, expecting the worst. Though she said she was prepared for it, she wasn't really sure on how she could react to specific things.

"Sumi-masen." Haruka opened the door.

The master was standing at a corner, groping at some parchments from the corner table.

In respect, she bowed and knelt a knee. "What can I do for you, sir?"

"Stand."

Haruka obeyed.

"I don't want to lengthen this conversation as I had with Michiru earlier."

Haruka listened carefully, heart throbbing nervously.

"This is a very easy task." He walked and faced the angel head-on. "Since I easily permitted Michiru's stay in Heaven at your humble request, I assume now that you'll be willing enough to abide by the conditions which I will forcefully be set out for this situation."

"Conditions? Forcefully?" There was a silent fret.

"Starting today, you are forbidden to talk nor are you permitted to go anywhere near the demon!"

"Nani?" Haruka seemed to disagree unconsciously.

"Yes. You are ordered not to be close to her. Shizuka will take good care of her instead of you from now on. Your connection with the demon is only limited with regard to the human you WERE SUPPOSE to be guarding. The hell's princess is not of your concern," he powerfully commanded.

"Naze?" Her voice began to grow hysterically. "Was it Shiro-san who suggested this? Where did you get this idea? I thought we had settled everything about Michiru already."

"Are you questioning me?"

The master silenced her.

"And you dare raised your voice on me? Do you have plans of defying your orders, angel?"

"Gomen Nasai." She affirmed her lowly position.

"You should be. Such behavior is totally unacceptable. And of all people, you should know that. You ARE an archangel! Remember that."

She atoned her behavior and resumed her composure. "Sir, may I at least ask, why?"

"This is for your own good." He turned his back. "You may leave now."

Haruka left with a heavy heart. The master became so strict all of a sudden. She couldn't even remember the master being an authoritarian. He used to be so calm, gentle, and too lenient at almost everything.

This was the worst that Haruka had been preparing yet it was never been clearly justified. She couldn't remember any valid reason for it. 'For her own good.' Such reason was not enough. Befriending the demon was not a sin. 'Befriending her.' That was Haruka's term. That was how she called the thing that she had been doing for the past few days with Michiru. Yet, she knew of the dreadful, forbidden truth of her suppressed feeling. Perhaps, the master was right after all for imposing such rule toward her. It was for her own good. This might be the sign for her to actually throw away such growing emotion. She might be suppressing it now, but how long? The master might have noticed it already. Just how long could she possibly restrain herself?

Haruka was on her way out of the Angel's Palace when she saw a more serene Michiru walking with Shiro on their way to the Palace's entrance. Their eyes met at first but Michiru quickly took her gaze away. Shiro had a sharp stare over her until the two parties silently passed each other. 'For my own good, eh?' Haruka murmured, entertaining herself with a mocking grin.

Not long, Haruka's feet took her to her favorite hill, the very place that once she had shared the night view with the person she held dear. Recollecting her thoughts, she assured herself of who she believed herself to be – an archangel complete with duties, responsibilities, status, and governed by the Heavens. Every scent from the air was nostalgic on her part and the longer she stayed there, feeling every cold breeze, reminiscing every thought, the stronger she could feel her heart beat. Yes, she did fell in love. She could admit it a thousand times to herself. However, it was not the right moment after all. She was reminded, no, she was commanded to ignore it. If only such feeling wasn't realized, then it should have been very easy to overlook it.

She recalled Michiru's downed face after talking with the master. The master must have said the same thing to her. She did see her cry. Tears. "What could they mean? Tears of friendship or tears for something else," Haruka hoped.

All alone, she thought about it again and again that lead only to her own frustration. Hell's princess, a woman, a demon. Everything about Michiru for Haruka seemed to be forbidden. "Aaarghh…. Michiru!", she burst.

"Ara did you just call me?"

Haruka turned around and even for the second time, Michiru still managed to surprise the angel.

"I figured that you might be here." Michiru seemed to return to her normal glowing self already.

"We shouldn't be talking to each other, you know."

"So, he told you the same thing, huh?"

Haruka grunted lifelessly half-ignoring Michiru's presence.

"What can I do for you? There will be trouble if somebody will see us together."

"This is your secret place, right? Aside from Shizuka-san coming, nobody can know. We can hide in here anytime and nobody will see us."

Indeed, the idea was sweet and tempting. It was an idea that normally only a cherub could think of. Haruka turned down her excitement and straightened herself up. "That's really nice of you, Michiru-san. But I think we should really be obeying orders now. This will be our last night, our last talk. So, why did you come here again?"

Michiru had had some second thoughts before she timidly spoke. "I really don't understand why Master forbid us to see each other, you know. What's wrong with you and me talking?"

What's wrong indeed! Haruka's mind wielded the answers. It was because Michiru was a demon. It was because Michiru could never belong to Heaven. And for the worst, an archangel was falling for her. Michiru was a woman that could stir Heaven itself. "Saa" She pretended not to know. Her sight continued to stare at the horizon.

"This is really annoying."

"I know."

Silence followed.

"Haruka-san?" She called to her.

"Yes?"

"I… am just wondering if perhaps your wings can warm me up again." Her voice beckoned the angel's gaze.

It took her time to answer as well. "Gomen," she looked away. "I can't, this time."

"Soo." Michiru looked disappointed too.

"Come on now. I'll walk you back to the palace. The night air is already getting cold."

The sober yet gloomy atmosphere returned. The two uncomfortably walked side by side each other like a procession that neither one wanted to reach their destination.

"I thought you were worried that somebody might see us together." Michiru had only stolen glances of the tall woman. "And you're walking me back. I can walk from here."

Haruka didn't say anything. Only her eyes roam from tree to tree, on alert for anybody.

"Haruka-san!" Michiru exclaimed bringing abruptly the other woman's attention. "Mitte! A red moon!" Her finger pointed up while she continued to walk. "I finally see a red moon. Suteki. I'm glad the clouds lifted early."

'A full moon, red as passion, red like blood,' she thought, didn't even bothered to say anything to the other person.

"Can you do me one last favor?" Michiru asked, still admiring the circle.

The angel nodded.

"Can you at least remember this night?"

Haruka paused for a moment, gazing at the figure bathing the crimson color.

"Ne, can you at least remember this night? Remember that tonight you are with me and nobody else."

'Only this night?' she mocked. There was no need to tell her. She could remember vividly every moment there was that she had spent with Michiru. "I will."

"Thank you. This is the night that we see the red moon together."

Haruka hid her painful yet satisfying grin.

The angel managed to walk the princess back to her own room. Her hands had been in tuck her pockets ever since they started walking.

"Haruka-san. Did you see the Na-shis under the staircase?"

Haruka jumped in surprised. "What? There were Na-shis?"

"Oh, so you didn't know then. I did wonder why you seemed normal and calm while walking even though a lot of the angels saw us. I thought you knew."

"Oh no…" Haruka thought of how the master might know of them and the punishment she would definitely received.

"Do you think they're going to tell the master?"

"I don't know." Haruka replied. She had enough of this already. It was too tiring to hold back ever since. She had been controlling everything there was to be controlled and it was worse than stupidity. "I don't know and I don't care anymore." She was getting annoyed at the situation. Stepping inside the princess' room, she called for the other woman's attention. "Are you really OK with this?"

The princess stepped back, her hand reaching the table's edge as she had unsettled thoughts in her mind. "I'm really not sure. I even don't know why we're not allowed to talk or see each other anymore."

"That is." Haruka closed the door behind her. "I'm sorry, Michiru-san. This is all my fault."

"What do you mean?"

"Gomen." Slowly, her fingers began to rest on Michiru's cheek, their tips caressed locks of the long silky hair.

Michiru's palm covered the other's hand. "Why?" Her eyes asked the same question.

"I can't hold back." In a second, Haruka in her most indomitable decision finally gave her the kiss, the kiss that she was saving for so long since she had met this being for the first time.

Stunned, Michiru immediately pushed her away. "What are you doing?" She hid her flustered face, taking in a huge breath of air. "Ummm…" Her mouth froze to say the next.

"I did say, I'm sorry." It was a half-hearted apology. Gently tapping the smaller woman's shoulders, the angel managed to regained Michiru's stillness. "I'm sorry I had to feel this way. The master seemed to notice this. That's why he had to keep me away from you. I'm really sorry. If only I could have restrained myself more."

A lot of thoughts seemed to be lurking around Michiru's head before she tenderly looked up to her, reassuring. "Do you really feel this way?"

"E. Eversince I met you." The voice gradually softened in a whisper that even the owner herself failed to hear. "Daisuki yo."

Stares froze before the next voice emerged.

"I'm happy to hear that."

Haruka's long arms enveloped the princess' body. Submissively, her closed eyes felt the warmth of the most comfortable hug there was. "I really want to hold you like this for a very long time." She could almost sigh in utter liberation.

Michiru tried to break away as she reached up and caressed Haruka's lips with hers, returning the sensuous favor. The gentlest brush lasted for a second and just as Haruka's hand started exploring every inch of the princess' ever smooth skin, Michiru pulled away. "Haruka…" One calling seemed to contain all the worries in the moment – the certainty, Heaven's punishment, a forbidden affair. Aware of every bit of them, Michiru tried to remind the person in front of her.

The angel understood completely. Yet, her stubbornness was the only one at work. Haruka pulled this very delicate being much closer than before and assured and again and again what there was to be sure of. "This is my decision. This is our decision."

"Still, I think we shouldn't be feeling this." Both of Michiru's arms hung over Haruka's shoulders, her cheek buried unto the hollow of Haruka's neck. "This is just not right." Her voice was breaking. There was fear. There was guilt, depression, and sure traces of desperation.

"So, there's no other choice then but to pretend to ignore what has been learnt." Long slender fingers brushed in comfort the silky wavy hair. Somehow, an uncontrollable force so great continued to pull away this forbidden feeling.

"You shouldn't get close to me anymore."

Heart throbbed feverishly against the other's chest. "We must cease this insanity."

Breaths became heavy. Small red lips crawled brushing lightly, dearly, hesitantly the smooth fabric of an angel's shirt. The voluptuous scent that enriched her nostrils was pure intoxication. "I'll just forget this strong sensation."

"We'll forget this strong sensation."

With curled brows, she seemed to let herself be mesmerized by the angel one more time. "Let this memory be then buried in the grave of denial."

"There's nothing between us."

"Nothing."

The angel brought down her face close to Michiru's. "None of this kiss…" Her hand traced Michiru's arm. "None of this touch…" Her nose took in the fragrance of the princess' hair. "None of this luscious scent."

"No more." Fists clinched fully against the rigid shirt.

"No more."

Gazing down, Haruka saw Michiru's eyes sparkled with plea and despair. Even the room seemed to hear their hearts aching with their own desires flaming, burning. Haruka had only to throw her rationality. "But perhaps, for just one night…" And she did.

"Let Heaven itself forsake us."

Unstoppingly, she delved unto Michiru's mouth and tasted everything inside of it.

Weakened in her knees, Hell's princess dropped in full surrender unto the strapping arms of an angel.

Haruka was unnaturally cautious with her lips, showering Michiru with nothing more but Heaven's kisses.

The bed sagged just after the clothes piece by piece were dropped unto the floor. Everything seemed to melt away and only the two's existence mattered in this fiery night of the red moon.

Looking down at Michiru with her disconcerted face writhing, Haruka paused, taking the moment to carve such a beauty in her mind. Here was a demon. Here was the princess of Hell in her arms she loved and who loved her back. Yet, this girl really didn't know what their real situation was and still, Haruka didn't care at all.

"What's the matter?" The princess reached up, curious at the suspended rhythm.

"Nothing." Haruka grinned. "You complete me. I've always thought that everything about you was forbidden for me."

"Everything about me is forbidden… for… you?" Getting back the sumptuous sensation, Michiru barely finished her question as Haruka resumed her strokes. "Saa I hope you do realize how wrong you are now, Haruka."

From Michiru's ears, running to her neck, down her chest, crawling to the deepest south, nothing was untouched. The woman was a solid of wonder. Never did she imagine that such warm feeling could ever exist in Heaven. This was so new, so intimately wild, and it just made her feel like a newly born cherub in a freshly created universe. Unraveling her feelings and channeling them without limitations or rules fused the angel to the one being she truly loved. No regrets.

At her peak, the princess hushed herself in a staggered whisper. "Just what part of me… are you… exactly forbidden… to have, Haru…ka," shattered, shivered, broken, she slumbered.

"Saa I guess was wrong."

TO BE CONTINUED 


	9. The Truth

MY RED ANGEL

by First-GeNeSiS

Disclaimer: I don't own Sailormoon, especially the characters, Haruka, Michiru, Usagi, and Mamoru. I'm just borrowing them to give their lives a little bit of spice and give the readers a taste of fanfic imagination. On beliefs, please note that I am not focusing on a specific religion in this story. Again, this is fanfiction!

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Chapter 9

It was supposed to be a typical day in heaven but to Haruka's eyes, the whole view was far from normal. Or perhaps, the whole environment felt extremely far from ordinary after such emotional confessions during the night.

Cherubs had lined themselves to a part of a side of the very long table. The high glass ceiling catered the warm invigorating rays of light to pass through, shining on the delicacies that had been served. Once a month, all of Heaven's creatures joined in celebration of a banquet to acknowledged their unity and harmony among themselves and the universe. Na-shis were positioned at one side and the Ko-shis at the other side. The archangels sat at the end near the master.

Haruka was seated at the right side of the master while Shiro was sitting across her. Looking at Shiro could have annoyed her right there and then. However, she couldn't dare ruin the light atmosphere she had bestowed within herself. It would be pathetic for one single Ko-shi to mess up what she knew was right about everything of her. All she needed was the thought of Michiru and the feeling they shared with each other. Then all would be well.

The male archangel was discussing matters with the master that Haruka didn't take the slightest bit of interest with their conversation. They were trivial for her now. Weeks before, every topic brought up to the master that she might intently or accidentally know brought a huge impact to her. She was the most concerned creature for any discrepancies. But, it seemed that she couldn't even remember herself to be having such attitude in the past after all.

The feast had started minutes ago and Haruka could care less of what she would be eating or drinking as of the moment. She just continued to pick up slowly those that were edible and silently chewed the bits and drank the wine.

"Don't you agree, Haruka?" Shiro called to her.

Haruka modestly raised a brow. Actually, she had no idea what they were talking about but the Ko-shi had assumed her to still wield the participative nature she had grown herself to be.

"I'm proposing that you should go back to your human and resume to be his guardian." He brought his glass up to his lips before proceeding. "That would make sense, doesn't it? After all, you have to finish what you had started." He sipped the bluish fluid.

"We'll just see about that." Of course, she refused to be sent back to Earth. Never should she allow herself to be away from Heaven, more honestly, to be away from Michiru. But after she had assured Michiru's feelings, she was more than confident now. Shiro's antagonist remarks were less than a threat for her. But if such should happen, well… she'll think about it WHEN that would really happen. She continued to sensuously nibble on the tiny bit of greens that she laxly put in her mouth.

Facing Shiro across the table was getting a little annoying no matter how she diverted her attention away from him. In all honestly, the least thing Haruka wanted to do was to see Shiro's face, eating there as if he was all saintly. So, throughout the meal, she had to hold herself back while forcing herself to smile at every conversation she had with the men. At the corner of her eye, she continued to steal gazes at the girl who was carefully serving every meal.

"Michiru-san! Michiru-san!" Shizuka called out to her.

It seemed Michiru was looking daze herself. In reality, the princess was too distracted at Haruka's stolen gazes for her while she roamed to fill up the glasses. "Hai!"

"Can you get me three more saucers please?"

"Hai."

Aware of it all, Haruka hid her teasing simper with her victory of how she had made a big fuss out of Michiru's day.

The gathering was over and the angels returned to their posts. Haruka and Michiru went their separate ways. Michiru joined Shizuka while Haruka resumed her daily activities. The first was to check on the cherub's classes. The little children were doing well with their lessons and Mai was constantly glancing toward her during the whole session looking ever so worried and disturbed.

When bell rang for a break, Mai swiftly ran to the archangel.

"Ne, Haruka-san! Is it true that you and Michiru-san won't be playing with us anymore?"

"What?" Haruka was surprised. "Who told you that?"

"Shiro-san."

"I see." Her blood boiled just by the name but she perfectly concealed such unpleasant reaction. "There would just be a few changes, Mai-chan. We can still play with you. But since we are assigned with more duties, both of us can't play with you at the same time."

"Eh?" The girl reassuringly asked.

"Don't worry! You can still play with us but not together. Besides, you're better off playing with Michiru-san than me anyway." Indeed, she could joke now.

"Hidoi yo, Haruka-san! That's not true at all." Mai was about to cry when they heard familiar soft laughter from the end of the corridor.

Haruka turned to see Michiru and Shiro together, looking so comfortable, talking to each other as if drowned in their own world. Staring at the two, Haruka felt mighty dirty and she couldn't put aside this tempting thought to crush Shiro at all cost. The nerve of him being near Michiru, Haruka's Michiru. Yes, there was that tempting thought.

"Ne, Haruka-san!" Mai snapped her back. "I have to go back to class now."

"O.K.!" Haruka still had her narrowed lids staring sharply at the two, glued in distaste to them. Shiro must have noticed the archangel's steaming anger already yet he ignored and continued. He might have wanted to provoke her right from the very start yet he was doing it so professionally. If he was planning to make Haruka jealous was the ultimate plan, then he was doing pretty darn good with it.

As soon as Michiru left him, Haruka quickly headed to the hallway that crossed Michiru's path. Flamboyantly, she waited at the intersection for the demon.

"What was that all about?"

"Haruka, what are you doing?" Both talked but never did they face each other. "Somebody might see us. The master…"

"What about the master?" She didn't care.

"What's the matter with you?" Michiru turned to the other woman now. She was as much confused as the tone of her own voice.

"Just now, what did Shiro tell you? What were you two talking about?" This was her only concern.

"Nothing. Why are you so upset?"

"That guy… do you know that he's the one who wants to break us apart?"

"What?"

"Shiro… Shiro is…"

Haruka was about to finish her sentence when a tremendous explosion silenced her. There was a moment's quake that shook the ground from the sudden impact.

"The master!"

The loud sound came from the master's chamber.

Every angel there was rushed to the scene. The corridors had gathered up some dusty air near the scene as thick smoke came out from the tiny slits of the room. As soon as Shiro had the doors opened wide, a tall frame of a man was already standing at the center. He bore long black hair, sharp eyes, and skin as pale as that of Michiru's. The hazy view of his face left the angels in awe, the master was in defense.

"I have come to proclaim my victory!" He might sound elegant but never could he hide a trace of rudeness of his stature. It was a trait that faultlessly distinguished him in Heaven.

Haruka and Michiru reached the room just in time of the proclamation.

"Kuro-oniisama!" Michiru called out to him. "Why are you here?"

"Oniisama?" Haruka's jaw immediately froze of what she heard. She was feeling her nerves tightening around her fingers. This was bad.

"The prince of darkness has come to return his sister back to the dark realm." The master told the astonished crowd.

"Oniisama?" Haruka turned to Michiru. "When… How… When did you get back your memories?" Even comprehending the whole situation was troublesome. There was no way she'd be at lost. Not when it was about the princess. But that was just how she thought. And she was certain she thought wrong.

With lips shut tight, Michiru was docile in walking toward her brother's side.

"Come, Michiru. You did well." The prince beckoned her to come closer.

The angel-bound room was drifted to silence by Michiru's submissive steps. Shiro, on the other hand, had his sword ready, waiting to counter the first charge. Even the master was surprised and even confused at the whole situation. Almost everybody there in Heaven was as speechless as they ignorant of how things was moving in their own realm.

"What's the meaning of this?" Indeed, the scene angered the Na-shi. "Michiru?" She sought a thorough explanation from the demon.

The princess just turned her face away.

"What's this?" Kuro observed the two. Somehow, he fancied the innocent-looking creatures. Haruka's words had even caught his attention perfectly. "The consequence?" He diverted to Heaven's master. "All of you are so weak! I can't believe that you are made Hell's worthy enemy. You can be conquered so easily. And for that, the humans on earth cannot rely on you. That's just the very reason why people reject your existence."

"Nonsense!" The master rebutted. Obviously, he was offended well enough to defend his position. "You have no proof for that. How conceited of you to proclaim your victory over us. We just respected the balance of the forces. If we were to embrace the world fully, then Hell will eternally vanish."

Kuro suppressed his mocking laugh, his eyes arrowed on every angel looking directly at him. "And you said I was conceited…" His gaze paused at Haruka's. "Do you know what's happening to the world right now? Do you know the consequences of what you have done? Do you have any idea of our plans?"

Already terrified, the angel held her stance, holding not to be affected by the prince's trivial questions. Yes, those were just trivial questions but all of them continued to echo endlessly throughout the back of her mind. What consequences? What plans? What was exactly happening to the world? Her body was caught in a suspended animation with all these revelations rushing to her head. "Michiru, do you know about this?" She gaped unto the girl who was pretending to ignore what was happening.

"You have your sister!" Shiro shouted from the crowd. "Be gone now, demon!"

"Eh?" Kuro sarcastically whined. "But I'm not finished yet." He laughed in amusement. "I still have to give my gift. This is my first visit to heaven, you know. The things I like most in heaven are these determined useless Ko-shi guards, a master who doesn't know the practicality of the world, a Na-shi loser… oh…" He paused for awhile mocking the memory of the previous Na-shi archangel. "I already defeated that one. I mean, here, a Na-shi who was so kind enough to be Hell's express way to conquest."

"Haruka…" Shiro immediately realized running to Haruka's aid. "Wha…"

The room reverberated the prince's sinister laugh. "Here!" Bringing his right palm, a black orb solidified out of thin air. He tossed it up to the center of the room. "Minna! Mitte." Light flashed brightly and the orb expanded to a whole 3-dimensional viewing screen. "Oh Heaven's ignorant creatures, witness the night of the red moon!"

The surprise brought a sword to clang on the floor.

Still. The chamber became dead still.

Haruka's eyes widened as the ball of screen recorded every detail of lovemaking she and Michiru had done during their forsaken night. Astonished Ko-shis gasped in horror while the innocent Na-shis nervously covered the tiny eyes of the unaware cherubs' from prying unto such debauchery. What they saw were two lewd souls celebrating a night of ecstasy, a pure taboo.

Haruka turned away from the light. Fists clinched and shook, whirled by hundreds of emotions.

Shizuka's palms could only cover her mouth in horror with utter disbelief. "Haruka-sama…"

And the proud Kuro vanished without a trace with an arm wrapped around the princess of Hell. The figures of darkness had returned to where they belonged.

Haruka dropped on the floor feeling nothing but sheer anger yet huge teardrops were falling off from her face. Her face looked so determined and stable yet her eyes just couldn't be controlled. Water kept on flowing from them. There might be water but she was not crying at all. She was so guilty of such immorality and she couldn't do anything about it. Neither did she regret doing it.

Upon Kuro's disappearance, the beings in the room gradually left the place. Each was pretending not to see, hear, nor even know anything of what they had witnessed earlier. The master couldn't speak a word at first perhaps because it was like his own hubris was shattered into nothingness. Of course, seeing his trusted guardian involved in such dissipation and even after the warning he gave to her, it was so shameful. It was totally unacceptable. It yielded an unforgivable curse.

The angel could understand clearly on what the shocked master was feeling toward her. Shiro, looking at her, seemed indescribably perplexed. Shizuka was still frozen with disbelief even after minutes of the scene's finale. Those reactions were expected for Haruka. They were just being normal after all unlike the woman she was. A lewd angel. It was just right for Heaven to curse her.

"How could this happen?" Heaven's leader was regretting over and over. Nobody knew what he really meant of the question. But perhaps, he was part to blame for being so foolish not to have known immediately of what had happened, or he was part to blame for having a stupid guardian.

"Na-shi Archangel Haruka!" He summoned her. The master maintained his composure despite of his raging anger and still such hidden fact was evident.

"I don't regret it, sir." Haruka spontaneously answered the calling that only made the master's anger be magnified more.

"You are a disgraced! Not only did you disappoint me, you brought shame to everybody here in Heaven. Just what exactly were you thinking? Didn't I tell you to get away from the princess of hell?"

The words were spear-sharp. They pierced her perfectly, degrading her whole being, erasing her very existence as an angel. But she accepted every bit of them without questions or reasons.

"This is an outrage! Do you realize what you have done? Do you know what will happen to the world just by doing this cursed act? Do you know?" More scolds lead to more brutal lessons learned or perhaps there were in fact no lessons to be learnt about. "I resent you! You're the catastrophe of this dreadful fabric of time. And for that you'll receive your eternal sentence to death."

"Are you giving Haruka-sama the perpetual punishment, sir?" Shizuka feared it as an angel who was thoroughly concern of Haruka's fate. She was pleading there even if Shiro couldn't care less, even if Haruka passively receive every beating given to her.

"I'm giving her the sentence of restless damnation to the Land of Unknown."

Haruka had no response.

"Is love that punishable?" Shizuka tried to mitigate the penalty.

"Love?" The master seemed disgusted at the thought. "That was lust! Can't you see it?"

Shizuka was right. Haruka did fell in love and was loved. Never did it cross in her thoughts the sin of lust frolicking with the randomness of her primary confusions of her emotions. The problem was that Heaven just couldn't understand it. Nobody in Heaven even had this feeling before.

"It was, no doubt, love." Haruka murmured.

"Silence, you ignoramus!" He commanded bringing on waves of fear. "From now on, you are nothing. Heaven marked its resentment on you. You are never to come back here again. You will be erased as an angel and you will wander forever with no goal and fate."

"Is that a punishment or a curse?" It sounded more like a threat. Heaven itself is forbidden to bestow curses and Haruka just didn't like the sound of the master's words. "What exactly did I do wrong, because I was immoral? Is that it? Because I happened to express this what you call a Heaven-forsaken love? For loving a demon or perhaps for loving a woman?" She finally answered back in all out honesty. In her own thoughts, she had believed that she did nothing wrong. And such was never a ground for damnation.

"Enough with this!"

As the master struck his arm, a thundering whirlwind formed under Haruka's feet. It grew in an enormous size that enveloped the helpless archangel erasing her presence from Heaven. A calm and solace Haruka was fading into air.

"Haruka-sama!" Shizuka called out, running to the angel's aid only to be blown harshly by the circling wind. There was nothing she could do for her. She couldn't even go near her yet she still held her hope. For the last time, she reminded the fading angel. "Remember the light in the dark, Haruka-sama! Remember the tale of a Seer."

And the angel completely vanished.

"Why did you even try to help her?" The master asked Shizuka.

"Love is really not a punishable sin."

The angels left the once chaotic room and the doors of the master's chamber shut tight, concealing everything from the past.

TO BE CONTINUED 


	10. Land of Unknown

MY RED ANGEL

by First-GeNeSiS

Disclaimer: I don't own Sailormoon, especially the characters, Haruka, Michiru, Usagi, and Mamoru. I'm just borrowing them to give their lives a little bit of spice and give the readers a taste of fanfic imagination. On beliefs, please note that I am not focusing on a specific religion in this story. Again, this is fanfiction!

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Chapter 10

There was a story that strictly contained the same events. It was customarily passed down from angel to angel. The story had a tone so dark with a feel full of scare that cherubs at their full innocence and vulnerability, quivered to imagine the reality of what they had thought to be nothing more but fictitious bedtime story.

The land of Unknown was a forgotten place. Neither time exists nor there were chances of a soul to meet a fellow damned soul. It was the land of the cursed people where no world dared to accept their existence. The place could not even be comprehended by the normal human mind, not even a normal heavenly being for such was a place where day meets night, summer cradles winter, and the grains of sand under, boiled by the cold fog, was covered by utter stinginess.

This place was more like a legend to the heavenly creatures and no angel could ever confirm for the Land of Unknown to exist. Nobody could justify what the land of unknown could ever look like. Whoever could have gotten in never came out to tell about it. But they believed. Whatever that had been passed down by the heaven lineage, they respected. They believed in the Land.

Haruka carried her feet ever so weakly as she straddled on the hot yet cold sand. Her body was already tired and her soles grew on blisters from feeling on the heat of the ground in one step, and an abrupt change of its temperature to freezing cold at another step. Just the condition of the place could lead a soul to insanity if there'd be a mind but then the goal of the place was nothing more but torture and inner destruction.

Haruka's journey in the Unknown was a taunting cycle from the cold desert passing through a black safari and eventually has its end at the smoky barren factories. The ground forbade her to rest with the floor bloating for her to erect every time she would try to lie down. The soil would constantly moved wildly like ocean waves the moment she would stop. The place just won't let her.

Going the same routine over and over again might be boring if such was just an ordinary menial task. But every time Haruka went every bit of suffering, the cycle seemed more brutal than before. She could no longer count the number of times she screamed from her aching blisters nor she couldn't imagine how her eyes survived the darkness for so long with a sudden light flashing across her like pure fire. She didn't care any longer on how much smoke she choked out of her system while maintaining her balance to walk and walk some more. Sometimes she wondered on where she had gotten all this strength when all what was left for her was death yet it was something she was helplessly deprived of.

Sometimes she did wonder about her past. It had been so long already and remembering every bit of detail still seemed fresh to her senses. She felt her now aching body that once felt the pleasure of being with the being she loved ever so dearly. Feeling such ecstasy again was rather difficult at her situation when all she was experiencing was horrible pain.

Her last painless experience was receiving her punishment and she did consider the possibilities. "What if the prince never came? What if she was able to restrain herself? What if she and Michiru had ran away?" And she created her doubts. "How did Michiru remember about her brother? How did the prince know about their forsaken night?"

Reminded again of that night, her eyes stared blankly from afar before she burst in an incredibly painful laughter. "It was really a night to remember. Is that what you meant when you say that I have to remember that night, Michiru?" Only the empty sky heard her fruitless question.

Insecurities piled up on her and the more she pondered, the more she began to question her love. "Was I just a pawn that Michiru used in her crooked game?" The more she began to regret. She could feel her heart beating so fast possibly from both the stress and the urge to know the truth. A part of her still refused to believe that what she and Michiru had shared was unreal. It was just impossible. Haruka did feel the attraction. "The demon can't possibly be that good at manipulating emotions, can she?" In the Land of Unknown, Haruka became a wandering bum.

Her numb limbs were moving on its own while her head was spinning to oblivion with so many questions she yearned to ask. Then, she was reminded of Shizuka's words. There could be a light in the darkness.

Eversince she was a cherub, there was already a myth about the Land of Unknown. In the land, there was a Seer, a being told to be the only exit in the place. It was Haruka herself who relayed the exact story to Shizuka. Back when the master cursed her, Shizuka reminded her of the hope. Hearing such existence again from her subordinate was helpful or perhaps it was in vain. But still, there was no risk if Haruka sought to believe of a Seer.

The Seer was the keeper of the Land of Unknown. He held the key to its door and held the answers to every question of the damned. His power ruled eternally the place as nature itself bestowed this role to him.

She probed her surroundings over and over again. There was no trace of the being she sought to find. Instead, all she could see was pain and suffering from the place – destruction, manipulations, and complete depreciation. Darkness, the second place she strode, replaced the scene now. She had anticipated the brilliant hurting light that would soon follow after the dreadful dimness. Yet, predicting it was difficult. The length of time when such abominable ray would appear varies greatly. Protecting her eyes, she closed them until the smoky factories appear before her.

Searching for the Seer or even hints of his existence was tiresome and frustrating. Before she could thoroughly search and scout thoroughly one phase out of the three there were in the cycle, it abruptly changed into the scene of the next phase. But she was still willing to persevere despite this monstrous reality. She continued to search on places, corners, bridges, and all over the blazing desert for a tiny bit of a Seer's sign. For so many cycles, she was never been even close of finding any information at all regarding this 'Seer'.

All hopes were about to be lost when the ex-angel found the error of her task. Yes, she sought every grain of sand in the desert and rampaged at every corner of smoke there was in the gloomy scene of what was supposed to be highly industrialized vicinity. She explored there was to see, her eyes worked at their best to find the timeless legend. But there was still one place she failed to notice – the black safari where all her body could do was follow the trail of guiding roots and feel the mushy ground. Her ears could only hear the disturbing beastly echoes in all directions while her eyes were paralyzed by emptiness. It was the only place she left unexplored wholly. This posed a very big problem. How could one search in a place she couldn't see?

Every time Haruka passed through the black safari, she would do everything she could to open up her sense for a Seer. To hear a trusting sound, to touch a comforting soul, to smell an unfamiliar scent, to taste a savoring hope. For the many cycles, all was in vain. Just how could one see in a place of pure black? How could one see in the darkness? How could one bring light to a jungle where it swallowed anything bright? The safari swallowed light. The safari swallowed hope. Haruka began to understand the horror of the place.

Just when her flustered face broke, Haruka felt the heaviness in her heart. She was already feeling the loneliness. Then, it hit her. This aching feeling, the cause of it all may perhaps the key she was looking for. It might not be as logical as a sense might be but listening through her heart amidst the darkness all over her could open a door to the seer. And she pursued.

When dark came, she relaxed fully, drowning herself in tranquility. The silence covered by the disturbing noises emerged into her sense as her feet were forgotten of whatever they were doing. Walking, no, in a dark region, they were more like floating. Her mind began to sleep as she let her heart controlled the rest.

Suddenly, a tiny yet invigorating colorful glow appeared. At first sight, she knew what it was. And she could feel a trace of relief for her success.

"I never thought I would be able to appear before someone." It spoke. "Your heart must be very strong for you to have summoned me."

Haruka remained subtle. Everything was in the state of suspension. She continued to listen patiently to the glow's words.

"Your heart may be strong but I sense you weakened spirit. It seems that you are a victim of uncontrollable forces. What can I do for you, most troubled one?"

"Is it true that you perceive everything?"

"I only see and nothing more."

"Then, I want to know about things of the being I once was.'

"As an angel?"

"Clear my doubts, Seer. Was the person who I loved, a person who loved me?"

"That's a pretty unexpected question from a being in the Land of Unknown." It flickered as if breathing. "Aren't you going to ask on how you can get out of here instead of wasting your time doubting of other things? Isn't it a waste of time for an angel to worry about a demon?"

"So, you know about Michiru. Tell me, did she love me?"

"Why do you want to know?"

"I want to make sure that the things I did for her were not in vain."

"If in vain, does it matter?"

"Finding out the truth is enough for me. I don't want to trouble myself thinking of things uncertain." Haruka continued to reason out.

"What's the difference does it make if you know that she loved you or didn't love you?"

The angel became silent, unable to defend her stand more. In short, there was no difference. She was stuck there in the Land of Unknown for eternity, helpless and damned.

"Do you really love her until this time?" The orb asked again.

Haruka nodded. "It is a love that no one can understand."

"I understand." It caught her attention. "But were you prepared for the consequences when you made such decision to love her?"

"Love isn't something to be decided."

"That is selfish!"

"What?" She became enraged for a second.

The orb showed her a scene of a world sowing different kinds of selfish individuals. A child plundered his own parents' wealth. Public officials corrupted by greed and ambition looted the whole state. Civilians protested against the government pretending to voice for the common good when what they were doing were just for the good of their own way of living. A kid crying because his mama wanted to go to a different section in the department store other than the toy section. Fetus flushed out of the toilet with blood still dripping from the toilet seat. A girl and a boy stripped off, gang-raped. Weapons were mass-produced for the next future war and supplier countries were preparing to bask in booming profits.

"What is all this?" Haruka confusingly asked.

"These are the consequences of what you call 'love'."

"These… but how? How could this happen?"

Haruka began to blame herself, bemused and regretful. There was no way that her small irresponsible act in heaven could affect the world negatively. Perhaps she was all too naïve all this time, for 50 years, on how the world really worked.

"The world is a mirror." The orb explained. "It mirrors heaven and hell both. Any disruption either in the two dimensions can lead to a perfect imbalance in the world. People's hearts changed and their hearts are the ones that instruct them to hate or to love."

"How could I do such a thing?" She questioned herself over and over again. "How can loving someone be so wrong?"

"It's wrong when you tend to forget your own place."

The two stayed still, silent in the dark. The orb continued to glow serenely. It seemed to observe the woman pondering and reflecting before she became totally self-absorbed in her realization.

"I don't care!" It was her least and final resort.

The orb seemed unsurprised.

"I don't care! Just tell me, did Michiru love me?"

It took awhile before the orb spoke again. He was just a Seer who existed only to answer questions of the beings of the universe and thus, he had to watch everything, good and bad, and be unmoved.

"If you really love that much then why don't you go to her and ask her yourself?"

"So you can get me out of here and send me to hell?"

This was what Haruka wanted ever since and she was very certain of her decision. She didn't care anymore and she was willing enough to go further down below. Damned as she was, Hell would be more than a sanctuary for her if she could only be at Michiru's side.

The orb granted her request at an instant. Her body returned to her original form, without bruises, healed wound, and blisters gone without scars. Slowly, she faded out. Disappearing from somewhere was never been this fulfilling and joyful before. Happily, she looked forward to the next place that she would be where her heart's questions be answered in her lover's embrace.

Upon her disappearance, the orb's glow flickered low. "Such is your reward to have listened to your heart."

TO BE CONTINUED 


	11. Hell's Fortress

MY RED ANGEL

by First-GeNeSiS

Disclaimer: I don't own Sailormoon, especially the characters, Haruka, Michiru, Usagi, and Mamoru. I'm just borrowing them to give their lives a little bit of spice and give the readers a taste of fanfic imagination. On beliefs, please note that I am not focusing on a specific religion in this story. Again, this is fanfiction!

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Chapter 11

With just a blink of an eye, Haruka found herself in front of a huge wide fortress, thick, sturdy and filthy. Behind her was a moat, deep and oozing with mud. The sky was neither blue nor gray because first of all, there was no sky. Outside of the fortress was the vast emptiness. It was sheer darkness like a cursed sight of the blind, suffocating the liberty of the soul.

The visitor went in the dark realm through a small slit of a huge drawbridge – half-opened, half-closed, sending an invite of the most sneakily way. Haruka silently intruded. On the inside, the place was comparably vast. Dark hooded guards were earnestly on the watch. She managed to lay low and hid herself amongst the thick low heated fog. There might be about fifty guards standing near the opening of a huge cave. It was a gigantic black structure that wielded unpolished jewels from its walls that shimmered in the darkness mysteriously though without light. The cave took no form for with its view, no definite dimensions were taken in. It seemed to expand infinitely. From the insides of it, there was a fright-provoking aura throughout the tunnel. Fire seemed to burn as steam was emitted from the cave's own gruesome-looking mouth.

She planned carefully on how she could get pass through the faceless hooded guards. Just then, a swift hit of a claw missed her by the shoulder. A sentinel found her. He hit her again and she was able to dodge in the nick of time. The sentinel was about to send off an alarm when the intruder hit him back at the most vulnerable part of his nape. It was not a forceful hit but the strategic bruise made him fell unconscious. The fight was short. His hood was lifted off and in a foreseeable view it uncovered the face of a monster, a beast with sharp fangs and scraped fury skin. The face did frighten her. Finding out the true identities of these hooded guards in robes as beasts and creatures unknown to her to exist was even scarier. But she was already in Hell. There was no going back and she was very eager to see Michiru no matter what.

Applying the oldest trick in the book of intrusion, Haruka took off the robes of the beaten sentinel and disguised herself. It concealed perfectly her physique and without any trouble, she did pass through the entrance sentinels. In fact, the guard didn't seem to mind her at all. They were ragged and so serious with their jobs. But then, perhaps they were just stupid. And Haruka was more than thankful for their explicit idiocy.

The insides of the cave was hotter than when she was still hiding in the fog and she had no idea what the end of the tunnel would be. More sentinels, more damned creatures, or perhaps more suffering.

At last, she ended up in the throne room where more creatures more ugly than dirt surrounded the throne. Nervously, Haruka tried to walk casually pass the creatures clamoring chaotically around the big fury being seated on a hailed chair. She knew exactly who that creature was. Yes, she knew that he was Hell's king himself, Michiru's own father. They were concentrated on certain issues and the excessive noise they produced couldn't be comprehended to Haruka's ears. She even doubted that they were speaking in the normal tongue.

Connected to the throne room were five passages leading to different parts of the realm. Certainly, one of those passages was bound to lead to the princess' chamber and it was rather difficult to determine by just looking at them.

Then, the tension of the creatures' discussion began to rise. Haruka was stuck at the sides, pondering which tunnel she would take. Every second she spent thinking equaled the amount of fear she was feeling.

"You!" A voice called up to her.

Haruka knew the person calling her. She remembered Kuro perfectly. He was Michiru's brother, the being who shook Heaven. He was the same being who took Michiru away from her.

"Why are you not in your post?"

Haruka kept her head low yet still remained her attentiveness as to not in any way anger the prince.

"Iie yo." Kuro ignored such concern. "It's about time for Gento and you to change places in guarding Michiru."

The silent sentinel humbly affirmed.

Another sentinel came out from the fourth tunnel. The creatures in the room acknowledged him as Gento and Haruka immediately took the opportunity in leaving the room through where Gento had come from. A deep breath of relief was finally brought out of Haruka's system. Somehow, luck was on her side. She was more than fortunate that everything was going her way.

Nervous as she was, she never thought that Hell's security could be easily infiltrated. Besides, the sentinels looked very much alike and perhaps even the residents of Hell were accustomed to identify each with robes rather than other traits.

Haruka continued to feel comfortable inside her hood while passing by the different views of Hell. The pathway was crude and unrefined. There were series of rooms along the way with shut doors. She had no idea what those rooms were except at one door, she had heard crying tormented voices from the inside. And she just ignored it. The air in the tunnel was too dry for her constitution and she couldn't wait to reach her destination. For minutes, she had exactly no idea on what room to open.

Finally, the ex-angel took the risk of opening one door. It was as plain as all the others she had passed by from the very start of the tunnel.

Opening it, souls like gelatin suddenly sprang. Each wanted to get out. Each pushed the other away. As one by one they struggle, lava spits showered on them melting part and part of their souls. Some were crying. Others were begging while those struck by the excruciating pain continued to try and forget what was happening to them.

As much as Haruka wanted to help, each soul was forbidden to lay anything of themselves to the door or else, they'll burst into flame. They looked like prisoners trying to escape in. They shouldn't, in order to survive. In the end, they were just one of the cursed hopeless souls punished for their sins.

After shutting the door tight, she assured herself one more time of what she planned to do before she continued to seek for the princess' chamber. Even her feet became more anxious by the second. She became more restless as time that felt so long passed by until she reached a door looking grand compared to the rest. It was the gloomy tunnel's end.

No one was around in the corridor and Haruka had all the opportunity to check the room out. If this was the room she was sent to guard, then this was no doubt the room she would find the princess. Before anything else, she tried to lay an ear against the solid steel to catch if there'd be disturbances from within

Quietly, Haruka sneaked it. It was a bedroom. From the eerie walls to the black floor, evil energy seemed to be everywhere and even though Haruka had come from the Land of Unknown, the place of the outcasts, she was completely feeling the lurking darkness. From one side of the wall, fire seemed to burn inside a glass pane that only from it was light possible, blazing as if with life.

"Daré?" Michiru had just come from the lavatory and was looking pretty annoyed upon seeing the sentinel. "Didn't I tell you never to come inside the room?" She was furiously arrogant, unlike the Michiru Haruka had seen in Heaven. The woman had completely return back to her devilish traits as what Haruka knew her from the very start. The princess' face glittered her ruthless eyes looking down on the sentinel.

Haruka remained still and pulled down her hood even more to dim her face. The princess never even bothered to see the sentinel straight on the eyes. It was the norm that sentinels had no right to be looked upon by other beings especially by a royalty and the princess was doing pretty well at observing this practice.

"So," Michiru smirked sarcastically. "You are one of those creatures who want to taste the fire of Hell's princess, I see." From the looks of it, she had already planned something horrible to this guard.

The princess was about to cast her curse when Haruka finally spoke.

"I already have tasted your fire." Haruka sounded calm yet she was weakening all over from her self-proclaimed tension. "That's why I am here right now."

Michiru paused. Her face was covered with doubt. Part of her recognized the voice yet part of her refused to believe it. In awe, she wanted to say something, say a name and call the person in front of her. But she just couldn't do it.

Haruka removed the cover of her face. "I am here to culminate my decision." And the blond dropped down in total exhaustion.

TO BE CONTINUED 

From the Author:

Yes, I'm still alive. (waves)

I have an excuse for the super delay of this chapter. The semester was ending and I had a lot of school work to do so I really didn't have anytime to give attention to MRA. But now, that the semester had officially ended, I think I can get back to writing. (hopefully)

So, Haruka is already (finally) in Hell. Hmmm… I hope more readers will like this story. Just an info to you all… I do plan to finish this up! (cheers)


	12. The Princess

MY RED ANGEL

by First-GeNeSiS

Disclaimer: I don't own Sailormoon, especially the characters, Haruka, Michiru, Usagi, and Mamoru. I'm just borrowing them to give their lives a little bit of spice and give the readers a taste of fanfic imagination. On beliefs, please note that I am not focusing on a specific religion in this story. Again, this is fanfiction!

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Chapter 12

The view across her eyes was blurry, so vague that Haruka had to clear her vision for a little while. Haruka had just woken up and Michiru was on her sides, lying, watching the cursed angel slept all this time.

"Hai. Ohayo." The wavy-haired woman greeted her. It couldn't be tell really if it was morning or afternoon for a place of utter obscurity. But after a long time of sleep, the words just glided from her tongue.

Startled at the closeness of the other woman, she swore that she could have actually jumped to a corner of the room. But the demon caught her hand.

"Not so nice of a greeting, ne?" Michiru commented, still holding tightly an evading being's wrist. "I'm glad you are awake now. You've been sleeping for days. I never thought you would open your eyes again." Her voice was soft, so sweet and tonal.

Haruka felt mighty refreshed now. Though she was told that she had been sleeping for days, with no dreams in her slumbered state, all felt so yesterday in her wake. Her body still wore the robes she violently stole from the sentinel. But her hood was nowhere to be found from her face. Michiru had diligently taken care of it. Besides, she knew that the princess was watching her all the time.

She immediately took her hand away from the temptress.

"You came." Despite her disappointment of Haruka's reactions, even with Michiru's voice, she was as if hugging the angel unconditionally. "You wanted to see me, right?"

Both women sat straight on the soft cushion. They looked serious enough to spill every fact there was to be said. Their eyes stared at each other. Every minute lasted for ages. In that place, at that time, silence could exist for eternity. But looking at Michiru who was once Haruka's lover never denied the once angel of the pain she had packed inside herself ever since she was still in the Land of Unknown.

She quickly got off from the bed and assumed a respectable distance. "I want answers." Haruka finally blurted out what she had took on for a mission. It was a mission she would never fail to forget. "I have come a long way for you." Though she had a loving tone and a pair of tender blue eyes, there was a growing whirlwind in her heart. It was a strong disturbance, nurturing on a young rage.

"Haruka…" Surprised, Michiru saw worriedly how cold the other woman was to her.

"I need answers!" The tall woman demanded again. "I want the truth. I want to hear everything from you!"

"What truth do you want to know?" The demon followed her calmly. There was neither love nor hate now, on the princess' face. She only bore a royal air.

"About you and me!" Haruka approached her. "Why? Why did you do it? Why did you betray me? I thought we loved each other."

Michiru, dragging on her revealing robes, turned to a corner, seeking distance from the provoking questions.

"You never lost your memories, didn't you? You were just waiting for a way. I was just the door that you had to open to ruin the balance of the world. You were able to bring chaos." Her words loathed the darkness' royalty. "I want answers right now!" Her breathing became heavy, heavy enough to resonate the whole of her.

The princess was silent, with face turned away from the angered angel. She held into herself pondering yet unbroken. It took her time before she started to speak.

"Haruka… I…" Michiru came closer, creating a space so narrow between them. Her garb brushed the scorching floor. "Hai… I didn't lose my memory."

"You! You…" In pain, Haruka unconsciously pushed the princess against a wall where the golden flames in the glass pane were burning in its highest intensity. Her piercing gaze mirrored the reds and yellows of the flames as never a second she looked away from Michiru's own eyes. She could curse this woman at that very instant but her mouth ran dry. Her grips tightened against the smaller woman's shoulders. Her mouth gasped for air as she was shaking with her uncontrollable increasing strength.

"Ittai yo." The voice that responded was weak and fragile. "Ittai, Haruka."

She immediately let go of her. Looking at those frail shoulders, Haruka became aware of the pain marked upon on them by her bare hands. Gently, she caressed it by the same palms that were once so crude as being a weapon to hurt her. "Gomen." Actually, she had no idea of what she was feeling right. As if there was something she could do if she knew the whole truth.

"Haruka…"

Shocked, Haruka froze with the princess hands wrapped around her. It was an undeniably warm hug. Michiru's head rested naturally on Haruka's shoulders.

"Please… no." Haruka rescinded as she looked away and let her arms dropped freely to her sides. "You don't love me. I was just your tool, wasn't I?"

Michiru looked up at her and softly beckoned back the gaze she yearned to have. Her fingers traced every facial feature there was of this being above her. Her pointer trekked down from the taller woman's temple passing on the coarse hanging strands of her hair, stopping to frame her finest cheekbone, and resting at the softness of her lower lip. "You were not a tool."

"So, I was for the fulfillment of your own libido. You just happened to lust for an angel." They were more like depressed whispers than angered words.

"Why? Is lust that forbidden to be realized?" She was smiling lovingly as she gradually took control over the ex-angel's sanity. "C'mon, my body will tell you of the hidden truth."

Her fingers snapped and from its sound, the sentinel's robes tore itself revealing the white regimentals underneath. They were not as white or sparkling as before but they still reflected the grandeur of the wearer's will.

As Michiru dragged the weight of her flowing gown pushing on aback the woman, she took on again the sweetness that she had once shown when she was still in Heaven. But Haruka was unresponsive, artificially complying, forgetting her own wanting.

"Not again, Michiru." Haruka was unmoved by such aggressiveness. "Only the truth matters to me now."

"Isn't this nostalgic?" The demon responded. She was feeling every inch of fabric covering Haruka's body. "Didn't you have a more or less the same reaction when we first met?"

Haruka's eyes followed the princess, circling around with her sedative voice. More and more she was reminded again of the lustful pleasure. The fragrance of air the princess had left was enticing, so alluring that it could make any blood boil horribly.

Michiru paused as she faced the other. "You're still the same as that time, aren't you?" Her inducement vanished as she grabbed hold weakly the angel's collar. The flirtatious façade turned to a more solemn, depressed, and finally tears watered down her face. "When will you realized that ever since I met you, at the time when you suddenly appeared out of thin air, I was already wholly seduced by you." Her grip became tight and hard. "Even with you standing there, you never knew how much of myself you have turned on."

Haruka stayed still looking down at the quivering girl. Michiru finally let go as she turned her back. "It was a disgrace! The princess of darkness grew weak at the mere sight of a heavenly being. Hell's daughter. Princess of darkness. A figure of seduction was seduced by an angel. Who can live with this truth?" The sound of her sobs grew louder but she refused her crying weakened face to be seen by anybody. She continued to conceal it with her frail fingers.

Hesitantly, Haruka moved closer toward Michiru's back. She could see the droplet trickling down the woman's cheek. If those words were the truth, then let those be then. She didn't care whether she was too gullible to believe a demon's words or not, for even her heart screamed for the same facts of Michiru.

When Haruka's arms found their way around Michiru's shoulders, the smaller woman turned around to face the other. A pair of blue eyes watched a pair of sparkling teal ones gazing back. A mouth rejoiced to take the other.

"As I saw an angel appearing in the room, I thought that taking the human's soul would be a piece of cake. The angel turned and revealed a boyish face line and glaring stares. His mouth spoke of words so domineering and defined."

Michiru moaned as kisses caressed her neck.

"He was a Na-shi yet just by her eyes, she seduced me perfectly."

The princess responded thoroughly to such sweet sensations and gradually pushed the angel to sit on the bed's edge.

"But there was more to her seduction. The longer I admired her physique, the more I could feel like blood rushing wildly in my veins and my heart throbbed to death. I thought over and over if the feeling was love or just lust. Nevertheless, I never felt like it before. I had no idea. I wasn't sure."

Her gown slid freely down to the ground and she stood there bare. Her pale white skin reflected the color of the scorching fire from the glass pane.

"When my human form was shot, the angel dove to my rescue. I was addicted by the scent and feel of her wings wrapping me and taking me into somewhere so cool and safe. I realized for the first time that what I had in me was not lust. I was in love."

Haruka watched the princess unbutton her rigid shirt while their eyes locked to each other. They stared as if there were no other figures to stare.

"I was hoping the angel would love me as I am but I remembered myself asking those questions whether she would desire a woman. And she said 'nay'. I felt no hope yet I wanted so much just to be with her, know her, love her."

The soft covers rippled as Michiru laid above the angel and admired every part of this tall slim body.

"I pretended to lose my memory so that I could start all over again my journey to reaching your heart."

The princess tasted once again the angel's touch. Both responded, as they know how to pay back the favor to the other. Backs turned, breaths panted, lips touched lips, flesh against flesh, hands over hands, fingers entwining and body writhing, losing control.

"I love you, Haruka. I loved you the moment I first saw you." She grabbed hold unto the other's arms, burying on her nails as her body came to full submission. Pain and pleasure was playing at her mercilessly and it was pure satisfaction to love and be loved, to taste and be tasted, to fill and be fulfilled. Surely, this was love.

Night in the darkness was warm while underneath the covers of a royal room. Both rested in soothing satisfaction, feeling the nakedness of their skin. None wanted to let go of the other. Lying there, together, felt so whole and perfect.

"I never imagined myself sleeping with a sentinel." Michiru had just opened her eyes and saw immediately Haruka looking at her.

"The things I had to go through for you…" Haruka said it lovingly as she supported an arm to her head.

"I really never meant for my brother to come for me in Heaven. I'm sorry I left you. I tend to do everything my brother wants me to do. Am I cruel?"

Michiru traced again the shape of Haruka's face. It was her favorite hobby and Haruka was feeling the devil's touch. Such cruelty could be ignored. Haruka continued to gape at the other woman intently. This was one figure her heart couldn't deny of.

"I went to Heaven without telling my father nor my brother as you know. But Hell had a 'Min' that let them see of everything that they wanted to be seen. I had disregarded that." She continued. "I really never meant for you to be expelled from Heaven. It was the least thing that I wanted for you to happen. Believe me, Haruka. I tried to restrain myself as well. But when I knew that you had wanted me, too. Didn't I deserve a reward of what I felt for you?"

Haruka gazed upon her thoroughly believing what she said. There was no way that trust would be a matter of discretion in such situation.

"Come away with me!" The shorthaired woman suddenly sprung out as she insisted willfully. "We can live far away in the universe where nobody will know who we really are."

"But… Still, I'll always be the princess of Hell." Surprised, Michiru took her hands to herself. "Did you know how you and me tilt the balance of the world?"

"I know that."

"… and Hell is winning in this love."

"I don't care."

"I can't"

"But, you said you love me."

"I can't go."

"But why?"

"I've already become the wife of the prince of darkness."

TO BE CONTINUED 


	13. Meloish' Power

MY RED ANGEL

by First-GeNeSiS

Disclaimer: I don't own Sailormoon, especially the characters, Haruka, Michiru, Usagi, and Mamoru. I'm just borrowing them to give their lives a little bit of spice and give the readers a taste of fanfic imagination. On beliefs, please note that I am not focusing on a specific religion in this story. Again, this is fanfiction!

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Chapter 13

"No way!" Fallen and crashed, Haruka refused to believe it yet at the same time pondering, grasping the now revealed reality. "I… I…" Her glossy eyes probed to search for answers unto Michiru's own gaze. "How could you?"

Her golden hair swayed as she jumped out of the bed, recovered her clothes, put them on one by one, at the same time holding herself not to break.

"Haruka, please…" Pulling on the covers, she called from the bed's edge. "It cannot be helped, Haruka. I was engaged to him even before I had taken on the mission. We already swore to each other ever since I was born. I was destined to rule Hell with him."

"Yes, you were engaged to him. You WERE!" She faced the seated woman directly. "And what happened on earth? What happened in heaven? How exactly do you call, of what happened between the two of us? Am I just a passing memory?"

"Of course not, Haruka. Can't you see? You're here now with me. I love you more than anything."

"Then come away with me!" Grabbing Michiru's shoulders, Haruka's eyes delighted a bit. "Come away with me! I have forsaken Heaven for you. Forsake Hell for me!"

The woman couldn't even look at her in the eye.

"Michiru?"

"You've been gone for 10 long earth years, Haruka." She tightly held unto the blanket wrapping of her frail shoulders. "I never thought I would be able to see you again."

"Is that why you married him?"

She shook her head. "I've always thought of you, Haruka. I could have run away with you at that time. But now is too late. I have already taken my oath. Wherever I may be, I'll always be the princess of Hell." There was a long pause before she continued. "I passed the test, you know. I had my victory over you."

"Kuso!" Her fist sunk unto the bed. For the first time, anger in its truest form welled up inside of her. Her brows dropped to shape her piercing raging eyes. "If you cannot come with me then I'll stay here with you. Zutto. Nobody can break us apart."

"Kuro-sama wa?"

"I will be your lover in Hell!"

x x x

As Michiru returned to her princess' duties in Hell's throne room, Haruka was left alone, hidden by the four dark regal walls of the princess' chamber. As much as she wanted to get out, explore, and be at Michiru's side, still she was a happy prisoner. Minutes passed by and the loneliness of the situation was finally wholly realized. The silence of the room with a flickering wall, bearing a humid atmosphere felt dead. Yet, Haruka had no choice but to accept such fate, accept such situation, accept what she felt to be her own true happiness.

Haruka found herself touching, feeling the various things and accessories on Michiru's dresser. There, it emitted a strong fragrance of Michiru's hypnotizing scent. Probably from the black nail files properly arranged, aligned uniformly.

Waiting for Michiru felt longer than when she was still wandering in the Land of Unknown. The place was ragged, cruel, and torture. However, her will to see Michiru kept her going to where she intended to be. But this time, waiting was more tedious than searching.

Haruka dropped to the bed and stared at her hands. Put together, they clasped to prayer. They were same hands that once held a cherub and the same hands that now hold a creature of darkness. Those hands had tasted both goodness and pleasure. But sooner, they will be used more than for praying. Sooner, they will be tools for changing. 'Adultery ka na?"

Suddenly, the door creaked open.

"Dare?" Haruka turned. "Michiru?"

"Ojou-sama wa janai." Three cheerful-looking girls stepped into the room carrying new sheets and covers. "Sumi-masen. Wareware wa meloish desu. Daijoubo. Ojou-sama, herself, is the one who sent us here to attend to your needs while she's away."

"Meloish?" With no single clue, Haruka looked at the girls questionably. "Did you say you are Meloish?"

"Hai!" They giggled. They carried long straight hair, small Chinese eyes, and dressed in a variety of black skimpy clothing.

"Risa desu."

"Misa desu."

"Watashi wa Beru desu."

The three introduced themselves. Each seemed cheerful and friendly to Haruka.

Haruka tried to introduce herself too. "Boku wa…"

"Haruka-sama." Misa interrupted. "We know. Ojou-sama told us about you."

There was really not much to say for Haruka. They seemed pretty fine and she never worried about them even for a second. Meloish were known for their loyal attributes.

A melois was a nymph of the darkness, Princess Michiru's attendant. Expected to be loyal to their mistress no matter what, they were mere servants that follow one's orders. Their beauties were only a second to the princess, herself. And these were the proven facts marked by their thin frame and adorable faces. Such were only a few features to adore.

Misa and Risa mended the bed while Beru checked on the other places of the room. Haruka stood at the side, observing the girls who seemed happy at what they were doing. Though they had the same characteristics, they differ in some facial features just like an ordinary human does. However, Misa and Risa looked rather similar to each other than Beru. Twins perhaps. These meloish looked around 14 to 16 years of age. And Haruka just seemed to be amused at these intriguing creatures.

"Te moterñi iu mé keo pa?" Risa spoke to her twin.

Misa glanced at Haruka and quickly returned her eyes to Risa. "Yia!" She giggled.

"Juro!" Beru called to the other two. "Moterñi iu mé firltio porbu so ic maqu te nabar. Pelit mai breo bawepsiore toqae." Beru seemed upset to her other comrades.

"Miro miro." With heads down, Misa was disappointed.

"Motui, Beru!" Risa turned to Beru. "Muto ri qui goza partifolaqe girtowbe. Keo pa? Keo pa? Yia?" She smiled at her.

Beru resumed her chore as she looked at Haruka at the corner of her eye. Her cheeks grew pink for a second.

Misa then burst into laughter. "Keo pa nar?" She seemed so amused at the other. "Moterñi iu mé. Yia! Pelit muroti ei oy greto paquertop brio vabor mer sa barte."

"Yia." Beru replied. "Pelit me ko pa?"

Misa thought for awhile. "Yinto." She smiled to Risa. "Muroti ei greto brio?"

"Greto?" Risa asked. "Pero meikto parti. Pelit metoki por na?"

"Risa… pelit ni." Beru went closer to the two. "Risa?"

"Muroti ei greto brio. Preitoui?" Misa was pleading to her sister.

She took a long deep breath. "Yia." And Risa gave in.

Haruka listened eagerly to their foreign conversation. She actually never understood of what they were saying nor a single clue of what they were talking about. "Melo, I presumed?" She called to them. "This is the first time I heard a spontaneous conversation of the Melo language."

The meloish smiled back at her.

"Risa-san and Misa-san are twins, right?" Haruka asked to confirm her hypothesis.

"Actually, we're triplets."

"Oh" Haruka seemed surprise.

The chores had just been finished and the girls were fixing themselves up.

"Thank you. You've been helpful."

"Oh, don't thank us yet. We're asked by Ojou-sama to accompany you here while waiting for her return. So, that means we are still not finished with our jobs."

"Is that so?"

In a very naïve way, the three lined themselves at her front.

"Haruka-sama, are you really the angel whom Michiru compete with during her initiation?" Misa asked excitedly.

"Umm…" First of all, she didn't know how to answer. There was no way she would reveal herself to other creatures in Hell.

"Daijoubo. Daijoubo. We won't tell. Ojou-sama already told us but we just want to make sure."

"Umm…" She nodded.

"Wah! Suteki!" Misa shouted. "A real live angel." She went near to the blond. "Ne, ne, can I touch you?"

"Umm…" She affirmed.

The other two was equally impressed with her presence as well. Both looked excited to see her. "Can we touch you too?"

Haruka didn't really mind. The next thing she knew, the meloish were touching every fabric of her body. All brushing and feeling every texture there was.

"This is the first time we see an angel."

"And this is my first time too see a melois."

The girls' simper was ever so harmless. Instead, they were rejuvenating smiles. Perhaps, these were meloish' own powers.

"Touching is the best way to remember." Misa embraced Haruka's fingers with her own. She sighed. "The touch of an angel…"

"Actually, I'm no longer an angel. I was expelled from Heaven."

The three stopped and looked up to her. "You got expelled because of ojou-sama?"

"Yes."

The girls looked sympathetic as their joyful faces completely inverted as if they were reflecting Haruka's forgotten feelings for Heaven.

"You really love her, don't you?" Beru asked yet was filled with worry.

"Yes."

"Haruka-sama…" The melois' hand caressed a portion of the angel's face. "So, you really have a gone a lot of trouble for your love."

"I have."

Risa took hold of Haruka's hand while Misa grabbed hold a part of Haruka's back. Their touches were ever so soothing and felt so comfortable.

Misa murmured from her back. "Woe to your love that is too great yet only to settle for an affair."

The heavy feeling resumed again. So depressed. So poignant that it couldn't be helped.

Beru looked at her directly as the melois' eyes turned from black to golden yellow. "So sad…" She traced the taller woman's perfect jaw. "… and beautiful."

The other two's eyes glowed as it resonated the power activated by Beru. They grabbed hold unto her, more tightly than before, sending on an invisible force inside of the angel. "Let us comfort you."

"Meloish are low class demons." Beru explained. "Each of us holds only a small amount of supernatural power that can only be used once every 20 years. We feel the right moment to use such power." Pulling herself up, she reached for the angel's lips. "This power, we give, for you we love, a sight to see, the pure of heart. This is your gate pass to roam the whole of hell, invisible for a quarter of a day, and be your will's questions fulfilled. Pernigforte pwer baduie se mel."

Yellow light transferred from the meloish' bodies and the force enveloped the angel's body.

"You can roam hell for three hours. Our power will cloak you from being discovered." Misa instructed the angel. "By then, we hope you will know of what you truly want."

"Why are you doing this?"

"An angel is an angel. A demon is a demon."

"What do you mean? I've already made a decision. I'll stay at Michiru's side forever."

"You'll stay by ojou-sama's side as what? An angel? A demon? Or a melois?"

"I don't understand."

"Go on, you're safe with our powers. See everything there is to see as Michiru's lover as you claim to be."

TO BE CONTINUED 

From the author:

Pronunciation:

Melois – "mel-wa"

Meloish – "mel-was"

About the Meloish' conversation, I have the translation but I think it's better if I'll just leave it up to your imagination. (winks) Melo is a fictitious language.


	14. Husband Prince

MY RED ANGEL

by First-GeNeSiS

Disclaimer: I don't own Sailormoon, especially the characters, Haruka, Michiru, Usagi, and Mamoru. I'm just borrowing them to give their lives a little bit of spice and give the readers a taste of fanfic imagination. On beliefs, please note that I am not focusing on a specific religion in this story. Again, this is fanfiction!

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Chapter 14

"You're late." Michiru's father snared at her. The king, Kuro and two minions were waiting in the throne room.

"I had business to take care of."

"Let us start then." Kuro was all relaxed and didn't seem a bit worried. Coolly, he summoned forth an oval table-like liquid structure from the ground. Water shaped the risen figure. They called it, 'Min'. The Min was a mirror of the world. It served as a window of Hell to the doings of mankind and the progress chart of their plans. Around it, the five participants gathered to wait upon the king's agenda for that day.

"You smell nice." The prince whispered lovingly as she successfully snuck beside Michiru. "Tonight should be promising."

Noticing the obvious, the king cleared her throat to interrupt the unconventional behavior.

"Gomen, gomen." Kuro chuckled seeing the king and his minions staring at him. "What are today's issue again, father?" He resumed his serious look focusing on the Min.

Totally out of it, Michiru couldn't help but be worried at her situation. Her brain was divided by her duties, Haruka, and now Kuro, her husband. All she wanted to accomplish was her duty and her happiness.

"Michiru!" The king growled. "What the hell are you dreaming about? Business! Business! Get that brain of yours to work on the business at hand."

She was both angered and annoyed. The one thing that she couldn't stand about was somebody calling up her attention and denoting that she, the princess, should work on something else other than what she was currently doing.

Now, she must gather herself and hoped to concentrate on the matters at hand. Kuro looked pretty worried toward her already. There was no way she should give even a single clue about Haruka's arrival in Hell. "My mind and dreams are not of your concern." She still retained her arrogance. "Continue."

The Min was already showing the world's condition. Ten years had passed since Michiru's initiation and the world had responded accordingly to Hell's victory. The human race had already positioned itself to creating a new kind of world war where weapons will be treated as mere toys. Currently, man had moved perfectly toward the devil's plan. Sons killed fathers and brothers condemned brothers. If the current situation wouldn't change, then five more years and the earth would crumble through human hands.

"As I was saying, our plan is working flawlessly. Patience! I despise this virtue but somehow, a devil must have it." The king seemed very much content. "And all thanks to my wonderful daughter. I'm proud of you, Michiru." He looked at the couple standing side by side each other. "Not long, you two will continue our lineage. I am giving you my blessing everyday."

She was smiling half-heartedly while looking at the various disastrous scenes of mankind shown in the Min. This was what she had been working for eversince she was a child. Now, she received the responsibility for this plan's success.

"Thank you, father." Kuro held unto Michiru's arms with her charismatic voice. "But all of this wouldn't happen if it's not for Michiru's outstanding rating in her initiation. And let's not forget that angel's foolishness. If it weren't for her gullibility, Michiru might not have an easy victory. I salute you, sister. You have a one-of-a-kind strategy."

"Hai." Michiru responded lifelessly.

"Hai Hai, Kuro." The king was already annoyed with the same words Kuro had used during every meeting ever since Michiru's victory. Yes, Kuro was very proud of her, even more proud than the king himself. Kuro had always loved her little sister. He adored her. He cherished her and would certainly fight for her no matter what.

"Dooshite, Michiru?" A concerned voice snapped Michiru back.

"Kuro."

"You seem very bothered." He probed her face. "And you do look more pale than usual."

"Iie." Michiru tried to change the topic. "So, what will be our next plan, father? The countries in the far south seem to be an easy prey for political oppression. We can use the nations in the northwest to take care of this matter. Now, all we need is a turning point to start a war. Then, everything will follow. Don't you think so?"

The men were impressed for a second but later picked up what Michiru had left off. "Before that, we must position a brilliantly corrupt leader to take this responsibility." The king diverted to one of his minion. "Who is our candidate?"

"Ponwick Saul."

"I see." The king examined Mr. Saul's profile shown in the Min. Currently governor of a high state, graduate of law with masters and doctorate degree at various fields, received hundreds of leadership awards eversince his primary years. The Min had shown every stage of Saul's life.

"Just exactly how can he be the best candidate?" A minion couldn't restrain himself in asking.

The king's eyes darted to the minion. "You'll see. You'll see."

"Ponwick Saul." Michiru murmured herself as she observed this man's behavior with her own eyes. Indeed, he can be the most important key to this plan. When the perfect time will come, the world will finally fall into chaos once more. More damned souls would burn and Heaven would cry to Hell's superiority. 'What about Haruka?' The question suddenly sprung out of nowhere. Haruka would be with her, of course. Michiru would be with Haruka, enjoying their precious affair.

"Yappari, Michiru." Kuro held her arm. "You need some rest. It's not normal for you to be dazing here.'

"I'm alright, really."

"No, you're not. I know you and now is not your perfect condition."

"OK. Domo."

Kuro's strong grip on her arm allowed her to walk forcefully from the meeting room and left the other three in a wonder. "C'mon. I'll take you to your room." His support was firm and guaranteed stability. "What have you been doing for the past few days anyway? You are not pushing yourself with these plans now, are you? You should be lax already. There's no need to make a fuss about something."

"Yeah, I guess you're right." Her voice was still weak when suddenly, she had realized something to where they were heading. 'Wait!' She remembered. 'To her room? Kuro is taking her to her room. To her room where Haruka is? No!' The angel must not be caught. "Matte!" Placing her palm on his chest, the princess managed to stop the surprised prince. "Your room is fine."

"Eh?"

"Please take me to your room."

The prince himself was speechlessly surprised. Deciphering his thoughts uncovered his overflowing excitement. Of course, Michiru had understood perfectly her husband's behavior. For the past ten years, eversince they married, they'd been living in two separate bedrooms. Not even once Michiru dared to even visit her brother-husband's chamber. She was never comfortable during their wedding ceremony to be living in an intimate relationship with her brother even though she had admired him eversince she was a child. Their bond was limited only to the discretions of their hellish plans. Kuro had always taunted her with sexual innuendos that Michiru had never failed to ignore. But she resented these signs and Kuro was patient enough to have waited for her wife's submission. As expected, he was her brother and she was his sister.

"As you wish, my precious little sister."

"Mõ can you stop calling me 'sister' now? I've already stopped calling you, 'oniisama', you know?"

Kuro had a loving downward gaze to the woman he had held so tight. "Ja, Michiru. Shall we go? My wife."

Before her Earth's mission, Michiru had always been excited to be wedded to her one and only brother and for countless of times she never failed to imagine on how Kuro would be in bed. To sleep with Kuro was one of her dreams. It was once one of her youthful dreams. But she changed. She changed so bad that even she, herself couldn't believe how she had forgone and ignored this past wanting of hers. She never thought of sleeping with him for ten years and for that, she didn't bother to give a slightest hint that she wanted to do it with Kuro.

Kuro opened the door of a chamber that even from its entrance she could smell Kuro's scent. It was her first time to see it. Kuro's bed, his belongings, everything was how a royal prince could live.

"I'm surprised that you want to visit my room." He let the woman to freely survey the whole of the place. "This could have been ours if you had decided of it."

"I'm fine with my own room."

Kuro became silent while following with his gaze every graceful movement done by this demure woman. He gave her the freedom to explore the place she failed to know.

Michiru stayed still at a corner, feeling a little bit nervous in her situation. She was depressed, confused, but definitely not stupid in deciphering her circumstance.

"Michiru…"

She realized Kuro to be standing in her back with a closeness that not even an inch of space was left for air. And she knew exactly what he wanted. After ten long years, she knew what it was coming on to her.

Turning around, she faced the man who seemed to have his face so close to hers. 'This is a misunderstanding. I wanted to rest. I just don't want you to know that I'm hiding somebody inside my room.' These were words that could only lie in her head. "Kuro, I…"

Her speech was broken when Kuro immediately took on Michiru's lips and forcibly put his tongue inside her mouth as he let it danced wildly catching her all off-guard. He pulled back and held unto her tighter than before tracing hot wet kisses to every skin revealed. "Michiru… I need you… so badly."

When she felt the bulging object aiming at the side of her leg, she instantly knew that she had already been caught in her own web, ensnared by her own trap. There was no way she could deny her husband of something that she, herself, had mistakenly created – this misunderstanding. No choice. Unwritten in her plans, she was finally compelled to fulfill a spouse's obligation.

Michiru's remorse of her act did her no good as she began to actually enjoy what Kuro was doing to her. Her sexual prowess awoke in utter heights when he successfully accessed every erogenous part of her body.

He removed her gown as he traced every inch of the pale flesh, brush upon brush. She never felt such callous hands before, strong and hard. Those hands must have been what they were at then because of the numerous challenges he had already undergone. He was the same prince of darkness that let the world fell into war fifty years ago after by his own bare hands, defeated an angel of heaven. His hands were lethal weapons for Heaven and now, they were cuddling her with incredible care. Both embraced her body perfectly and such hands soothed her soft malleable body against their coarse texture. A male's palms, yes, these were the palms she had imagined in her youth.

Kuro lied with her in his bed and continued to kiss her more as if it would continue for eternity. Her throbbing center had already responded healthily with the touches by the opposite sex. She moaned, shuddered, and before she knew it, she was wanting more. She couldn't believe her body reacting to such unwilled activity. No, it wasn't unwilled. She liked it. Erotic moans kept on coming from her throat and somehow, she just couldn't control them. Was this Kuro's power? Was she under Kuro's spell? Yet, she was sure that she didn't love this man more than she loved Haruka. Haruka… she remembered. She was remembering the blond angel as she was squirming with Kuro's play.

Fully activated, she straddled on him to take full control living the title as Hell's seductress she claimed to be. Moving, playing, grinding, pumping gracefully with her entire body, she released her utmost talent of giving the ultimate pleasure. The instinct of a woman demon prevailed as she took her husband to a soaring flight. Surely, this was more than what she had imagined Kuro to be.

"You were wonderful, Michiru!" Exhausted, he was utterly happy with content.

Succumb in the mutual erotic affair, Michiru felt the fulfillment of her own orgasm. Feebly, she smiled down to her husband with lonesome regret as she dropped down to rest on his manly chest. Her lips murmured in its softest and faintest voice of her guilt. 'Gomen, Haruka.'

The chamber's door silently opened and in a second, shut tight. The slightest footsteps could be heard that trailed from Kuro's bedroom going to Michiru's own room. The meloish noticed her arrival minutes before their powers expired.

"You're back just in time." Misa cheerfully welcomed her.

"Domo." Haruka's face was scarily terrifying. Both rage and jealousy flooded into her mind that seemed to play mockingly of what was left of her sanity. "You don't know how much you've been very helpful to me."

"So how do you find Hell?" Beru noticed the angel's dilemma.

Her lids opened to reveal a pair of sharp glaring demon eyes. "I'll have what I want. Only I, should have her. Michiru is mine." When her fists clinched with promising strength, her fingers crunched one by one as if crying out the tears she dared not to show. "I swear, even if I have to kill her husband and become the prince of darkness himself to get her. She will be for me alone as I am the only one for her."

TO BE CONTINUED

From the author:

Another delayed chapter again. Gomen Nasai! I hope you like this one and retain your patience in reading the story. I don't mean to drag this down. It's just that I was so busy falling in love with a person I'm not supposed to fall in love with. (winks)

I remember that you like to know the Meloish' conversation from the previous chapter so here it is.

Translation on Chapter 13's Meloish conversation:

Misa and Risa mended the bed while Beru checked on the other places of the room. Haruka stood at the side, observing the girls who seemed happy at what they were doing. Though they had the same characteristics, they differ in some facial features just like an ordinary human does. However, Misa and Risa looked rather similar to each other than Beru. Twins perhaps. These meloish looked around 14 to 16 years of age. And Haruka just seemed to be amused at these intriguing creatures.

"Look, she really looks handsome, ne?" Risa spoke to her twin.

Misa glanced at Haruka and quickly returned her eyes to Risa. "Yah!" She giggled.

"Stop it!" Beru called to the other two. "You shouldn't look at her like that. She is our mistress' lover. We mustn't have such thoughts." Beru seemed upset to her other comrades.

"I'm sorry." With heads down, Misa was disappointed.

"But just look at her, Beru!" Risa turned to Beru. "I know even you will admire her beautiful physique. Look at her? Look at her? Am I right or am I right?" She smiled at her.

Beru resumed her chore as she looked at Haruka at the corner of her eye. Her cheeks grew pink for a second.

Misa then burst into laughter. "You like her too, don't you?" She seemed so amused at the other. "She really has a one of a kind charm. Don't you think so? No wonder mistress is so taken up with her."

"Yes." Beru replied. "So, you are falling for her too?"

Misa thought for awhile. "I think so." She smiled to Risa. "Do you think we can touch her?"

"Touch her?" Risa asked. "She doesn't mind. Don't you think she'll allow us?"

"Risa… we mustn't." Beru went closer to the two. "Risa?"

"But it's so tempting. Can I touch her?" Misa was pleading to her sister.

She took a long deep breath. "I guess so." And Risa gave in.


	15. Demon's Birth

MY RED ANGEL

by First-GeNeSiS

Disclaimer: I don't own Sailormoon, especially the characters, Haruka, Michiru, Usagi, and Mamoru. I'm just borrowing them to give their lives a little bit of spice and give the readers a taste of fanfic imagination. On beliefs, please note that I am not focusing on a specific religion in this story. Again, this is fanfiction!

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Chapter 15

When Michiru returned to her chamber, a rough-looking Haruka was waiting silently on the bed's edge.

"Tadaima!" The princess immediately greeted her lover with a long cherished kiss which Haruka received casually.

Beru, Misa and Risa left the room in a hurry. They had sensed the inevitable confrontation of Haruka's innermost concerns with Michiru. Ever since Haruka had arrived in the room, she had been in a deep serious trance. Her calm mood disappeared as she had become terribly restless.

Michiru, on the other hand, was feeling mighty uncomfortable as well inside her room with the former angel. She performed her ritual on changing into a fresh gown inside her closet.

"So you have been Kuro's wife for…" She thought for awhile. "… for like 10 years?" Haruka tried her to best remain her cool.

"Yes." She called in.

"It must have been a fruitful pleasurable 10 years, huh?" Her tone started to denote something and Michiru was fully aware of it.

"I am destined to be bonded to the prince ever since I was born as soon I'll pass the initiation and attain my victory. When you got expelled from Heaven, the hearts of the human race began to change. Their souls became clouded. It was just an appropriate effect of the night of the red moon." She hushed into a confession. "It was the same night that Mamoru died from the shots back then."

"My human died?" Haruka was reminded back of what they had agreed to be the third game.

"It was not a serious wound but his spirit was weak. It was an easy take."

"Soo ka." She was heartless at commenting. "So that was what you've always wanted, a victory. You achieved your dream then. Michiru became a full fledge royalty of hell."

"Yes. I became a full fledge royalty of hell." She came out from the closet dressed in plunging red robes. Her hair waved flowingly in the air. "And received the package that came with it – great power and a prince of darkness."

"A fruitful pleasurable 10 years…" Haruka mumbled again.

"Fruitful but never pleasurable."

"LIAR!"

To Michiru's surprise, Haruka stood coated in anger, raising a voice that Michiru didn't know the angel could have. Indeed, the demon became petrified for a moment. "I beg your pardon?"

Haruka hurriedly went to the princess and strapped her hands around the other woman. So tight and very much impatient, Haruka's hold could almost break the demon. "Mo I don't want to be just by your side. I want to be with you. With no rules and with no other being to share you with."

"Haruka, what happened?" Confused, Michiru was sensing her own guilt.

Haruka pulled away to look at Michiru directly for an answer as the tall woman cupped her face. "You love me, don't you?"

She stared lovingly in reply.

"I'm the only one that you can love the most, right?"

She wondered.

"You don't need anything but me. You can live with me for eternity."

"Yes."

"Yet, you cannot leave Hell."

Michiru looked away in regret.

"Hell against Haruka. Haruka against Hell. Is that your dilemma?"

She nodded.

"Dewa, I'll be Hell. I'll become the prince of darkness. I will become your husband."

Haruka let go and without another word, dashed out of the room, her steps headed directly to where the king of Hell sits, so as to become a demon, herself.

Left frozen, Michiru was not prepared for it. 'Haruka…'

xxx

Haruka reached the throne room in no time. As she revealed herself, the king, idling with all of the tiny minions surrounding him, looked surprisingly unthreatened.

"What do we have here?" The king had his eyes pushing down on her. "Why, it's a Na-shi in Hell. Welcome, angel." A curve formed sinisterly across his face.

Swishing with blades, the sentinels immediately gathered to prepare for her capture.

"Make me a demon!" In her fighting stance, Haruka immediately stated her purpose.

"Ara" A startled but calm Kuro entered the throne room. "It's the 'consequence!" He referred to Haruka as she was standing in front of the king. "Weren't you supposed to be trapped in the Land of Unknown? So, you managed to get out, then. That's amazing." It was a mocking compliment.

Haruka noticed his arrival and uncontrollably gave him the evil eye.

A loud laughter echoed as the king was tremendously amused of her say.

"Haruka…" Michiru arrived in time.

"Let me get this right." He composed himself. "You want me to turn you, an angel, into a demon."

"Hai!"

And he gave off a victorious laugh again and again. "Sobarashii!"

"Matte!" Kuro stepped in between the king and the former angel. "Is that why you came here?" He asked, hinting an eye toward Michiru who was standing at the sides.

"Kuro!" Michiru tried to mitigate the intensity of his domineering attitude toward the angel.

In all honesty, Haruka glared at the prince. "I just want to kill you."

The prince finally became irritated at her existence. He despised her as she had despised him.

Monotonous dragging claps broke the two's tension. "Better! Much much better!" The king seemed more than satisfied with Haruka's determination. "Ja, I'm very much impressed with your reason." He summoned for Michiru. "A fight for love, I presumed." He had known her circumstance all along. "Pathetic yet amusing."

Kuro snickered as well. "So, you want to be a demon to kill me." He made a proclamation to all of Hell. "And get the princess in return. But why don't you just kill me now." He presented himself arrogantly. "Look! Here I am. Go on and kill me. Oh…" He paused and continued his teasing declamation. "I completely forgot that you don't have any powers. Tsk tsk tsk."

Haruka could almost choke this man in front of her and finally be done with it. Yet, as she was then wielding not even a single power was futile to even start fighting. It was her plan in the first place. The only way to beat Kuro was to give him a taste of Hell's medicine. However, the prince was seeing right through all of her plans of why she had to become a demon.

"And you think you'll be able to kill me with a low-grade demonic powers? Kill the prince of Hell?" His teases were annoying as he was too proud of what he was.

"Enough!" The king cut him through as he returned his look on Haruka. "I'll let you become a demon after you will pass three tests!"

"Father!" Michiru seemed to know these tests already. "This is absolutely unacceptable!"

"Silence!" He was enraged. "You are not part of this conversation."

Michiru retreated like a spoiled brat would and forced to stay silent as she watched the succeeding events. Her stand remained unknown; indecisive as she was on whose side she would be cheering. The tests were not new for her. Those were the same tests that Michiru had witnessed for her father to give to low-life demons that neither one ever passed. Simply to put, they were her father's tricks than a demon's tests.

Haruka glanced at the woman at the sides. The former angel was resolved of her plans. "Hai! Wakaremashita!"

Kuro positioned himself beside the throne with Michiru taking the opposite side. The various subjects of Hell that was scattered in the throne room aligned themselves at the sides, leaving Haruka to standalone at the center of the room. They knew exactly what was going to happen making the examinee at their mercy.

"Merto ki peiu!" As the king commanded, the ground transformed to grout. Mutated gargoyles, rising taller than Haruka, emerged from the floor as second by second, the dirt fell from their bodies revealing their hard muscular structure and forming the ragged contours of their vicious faces.

"Ferui qapo trerio ribopmy!"

The creatures obediently listened to the king.

"Kill them all before they kill you." He casually told the angel.

She abided with no complains.

The mutants grew in number. Twenty? No, more like fifty of them crowded the room and Haruka looked so small with these ugly creatures hovering over her. When drops of their saliva fell, the ground steamed from its acidity. The room quaked at their steps and one by one was slowly coming unto her. Each aimed to fulfill their king's wish. "Ferui gapo trerio ribopmeaio. Ferui gapo trerio ribopmeaio." They chanted the king's command to them as their claws of steel sprouted from their fingertips, ready to pounce the enemy.

Haruka readied herself. She was never trained in the art of war. She was a guardian, not a fighter. Violence was Heaven's last resort and it could only be used for intrusion of the enemy. It was more on defense than an offensive attack. And only Ko-shis were taught of that.

When the first creature jumped to slash Haruka's head, Haruka elusively retraced her steps. More and more beasts fought and Haruka dodged at the same time received hits more painful than the last.

"Haruka…" For the first time, Michiru's heart broke into pity. Haruka's body was already scorn with bruises and deep wounds.

She was fighting terribly, growling in pain but still managed to hit back those who had hit her. But hitting the creatures did her no good. They were good, big and strong. She was weak and almost falling to the ground. Blood came out flowing from her temple as more creatures beat her head. The room was swirling in her mind. She was almost losing her senses.

Kuro and the master had their silent laughs as they looked at the angel bathe with her own blood with her creamy flesh turning to gloomy blue. This was the king's plan all along. No low-rated demons ever passed such brute. And everytime the king became an audience of it, he rejoiced as always.

When almost all of the creatures beat her at the same time, a flaming rage finally emerged from the deepness of her soul. And looking at the creatures' ugly pathetic faces just angered her more. She didn't want to see these imbeciles making a fool out of herself. She wanted to kill now. For minutes, she had lost, fighting and bruising herself with her clumsy defense techniques. Somehow, she had learned to feel the excitement of a fight. She wanted to fight no matter what, no matter how brutal it may be. No matter how bloody it should be, she swore to shed more blood of these creatures.

She stood tall. Her fingers clawed in with strengthened nerves and reaching up, dug out every eye of the monsters. Her nails buried themselves to the sockets of the creatures' eyeballs and as swift as lightning, popped out the things that gave them vision to kill.

Michiru gasped in horror while Kuro abhorred her technique.

More creatures struck him. Yet, she didn't feel anything now. Her body perhaps had become numb already from the past beatings. For it, she was thankful. Simultaneously, she removed each creature's sense of eyesight as if she had become the ripper of the damned. Not knowing where to go and who to kill, the blind beasts reached for each other wounding themselves with their own claws and enraged by the pain, killed each other in return.

As the last two disabled beasts crashed together after they foolishly fought, Haruka faced victorious the king. Her palms opened to drop one by one her collected sultry bloody beasts' eyeballs. The ground swallowed the dead bodies of the creatures leaving only traces of swampy blood and gruesome torn remains.

"Finished." Blood from her forehead trekked down her tear-path. The fight was long before it ended and Haruka seemed satisfied with her work. She accumulated realizations and knew powers of hers that she failed to notice before. If this was really how a demon would feel after a violent victory, then Haruka was enjoying it fully. Killing one may leave the killer, guilt. But killing just even half a hundred was sheer ecstasy. Her eyes turned to Michiru. 'This is all for you.'

Michiru replied with an unmoved look.

"Excellent!" Hell's king was ever so impressed. "You passed the test with flying colors."

Haruka now looked terrifyingly savage with blood spattered at every inch of her body.

Kuro descended to examine her. "Well done, angel. I didn't know that you have it in you." He continued to sound mocking. "You might actually become a demon yourself." He turned to the king. "Isn't it time for your second test now, father?"

"E." The king stuck out two of his fingers. "The second test," he summoned some subjects from the darkness.

From the darkest tunnel leading to the throne room, Beru, Misa and Risa, dressed in various styles of sexy leathered garments covering only their crotch and a portion enough to cover their nipples, walked in.

"Give these servants of Hell their ultimate orgasm in front of us all."

TO BE CONTINUED


	16. Angel's Death

MY RED ANGEL

by First-GeNeSiS

Disclaimer: I don't own Sailormoon, especially the characters, Haruka, Michiru, Usagi, and Mamoru. I'm just borrowing them to give their lives a little bit of spice and give the readers a taste of fanfic imagination. On beliefs, please note that I am not focusing on a specific religion in this story. Again, this is fanfiction!

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Chapter 16

Haruka's eyes darted to the alluring physique of the sisters. Instinctively, she sought for Michiru's decision but the princess' eyes stared in blank commenting at none, feeling nothing.

"This is insane!" The former angel burst. "How could you make me do such a thing?"

The sisters gradually went up to the exhausted angel and with soft clean clothing wiped off the blood that stained her beautiful face.

"Daijoubo, Haruka-san. If it's with you, it would be our honor." Misa caressed the strands of her dirtied hair.

"We've been thinking about you eversince we first saw you." Beru gave an equal attention circling her nape with the melois' fingertips.

"This is…" Haruka was still finding words to say and searching for a decision was an eternity of pain.

The king laughed harder in amusement. "Well, well, it seems that the meloish have taken a liking on you. So, you don't have to put on a lot of effort in this test after all."

Haruka had a very pained look toward Michiru. She wanted to be with Michiru and to make love to such servants of Hell was the only way for her to be with her love. Yet, Haruka didn't want another woman nor another lover. She just wanted to live an unconditional life with the princess of Hell.

"Don't worry, Haruka-san." Misa tried to help. She brought out a small flat container from in between her breasts. Opening it near Haruka's nostrils, the air spread the white crystallized powder from it, letting the former angel inhale the addictive scent of temporary absurdity. "You're a very attractive angel, Haruka." She whispered from the strands of the now red from blood, yellow hair. "No wonder the princess fell head over heels in love with you." She cuddled in the stiffness of the tall woman's shoulders. "But you will be ours now… even for just a moment. Be ours."

Haruka dropped as the powdered exhaust weakened her in her knees. Her head spun around as she could feel her own eyeballs rolling back in an unusually ecstatic feeling. "Kore wa…" Her nerves seemed bloated inside her flesh as her heart was throbbing ferociously with erotic desires she never imagined to have. 'Michiru' She thought over and over again. All she wanted was to touch the princess of darkness all along and yet, three other women were starting to touch her in every place they could touch, brushing their long fingers against her body to create an alluring appeal that she could resonate. Echoes… and more echoes of the king's laughter rang inside her ears.

"She must be feeling mighty horny now, eh Michiru?" With crossed arms and watching closely an angel resisting hardly from the meloish' touches, Kuro called up to Michiru.

The princess was just watching the subject with neutral bright eyes. Who knows if she was hurt or really enjoyed the view!

"Enough with this!" With great strength, she finally overcame and forcefully pushed all three sisters at the sides. There was both pain and anger in her eyes as she heaved deeply a breath of pure rage. "Kuso!" She cursed everybody around her. "This is bulls#!t!" Angrier by the second, she condemned the king himself. "Bakaeru! What foolishness is this! I don't need this nonsense. As expected for low-life creatures of hell! This is not what I want!" She was enraging more and more.

"Nani!" The king was terribly offended by her sudden inverted courtesy.

Haruka looked at sharply to the one man who was close to her. "Kuso! I only want to kill you." She was cursing under her breath with a chaotic mind under her head. Her fists hardened as in a second, she jumped to pounce at the prince.

With a snap of a finger, chains bladed from the ground and grabbed down the raging angel's wrists.

Kuro shoved away his long charcoaled hair. "That was a close one." He cleaned his fingers. "How can you kill me if you're all tied-up there?"

Haruka tried to struggle to break free. Her legs wanted to run to where Kuro was but the chains were securely locking both of her wrists and it was hurting her dreadfully.

The meloish had slowly recovered from the sides and gained their retreat. At that moment when they were forcefully pushed to the sides, they were certain that a powerful invisible force struck them away from the ex-angel. They had evil stares at the princess as they had a hunch that perhaps the princess was working secretly for the angel. Yet, they remained silent.

"This is an absolute failure." The king commented as he turned to Michiru. "But I can really see that she really loves you."

Michiru was mere a spectator of the moment. She didn't want to cause a stir of the whole situation. But her eyes never faltered at observing the angel.

"Unchain me!" With absolute authority, Haruka commanded the prince.

"No no no. I can't." He came to her. Her arms were perfectly tied and he could never be touched by her with such situation. "Do you know that taking the demon test half-way makes a being an enemy of Hell?" Looking from her feet to her head, he devoured her with his gape. "But since you already have plans of killing me right from the very start, then you were never a candidate for demonic powers in the first place." He came close to her face, bringing on his mouth near hers. "Why? What is in this mouth that seeks the princess' taste?" Brutally, he kissed her.

Startled, he pulled away. A lip bled horribly.

"Damn you!" She continued to struggle in her chains. "Free me then we will fight. Let's just see who is stronger between the two of us. The strong one shall have the princess." Her impatience addressed the king himself. "You need a stronger successor of your throne, am I right? Man or woman, the strong one will wield the final power to rule hell." Her mind was completely out of it already.

"You only had defeated half a hundred beasts and yet you're already oozing with conceit." Kuro was beginning to heat up.

The king watched the two in utter serenity.

"If you won't fight me then, you're just nothing but a coward!" She howled like a wild animal.

"I don't need to fight you. What do I have to gain?"

"The princess' hand."

"The princess' hand?" Kuro laughed. "I already have it ten years ago. I already have everything. Don't bring me into your whirlpool!" He retraced his steps back to the throne seat and standing beside Michiru, he claimed her with arms tightly wrapped and lips cuddling her ears. "A princess belongs to a prince." He was teasing her that's all but such teases could only be ignored with those calm in heart.

"Kuso!" Haruka could feel the burning flame of anger consuming everything inside of her. "Let go of her!" The vulnerability of her emotions was killing herself… or not. The more she mumbled her hate, the more she could feel something forming inside of her. There was an inner force opening her. A great power was forming from her very own palms. "I will kill you!" Wind circled her and the chains broke into pieces. Black wings appeared on her back. They were enormous that took flaps only to suck those creatures near it into its whirlpool of death. Minions and sentinels were vacuumed in and later thrown off dead.

"What in the hell…" Kuro was caught off-guard as he himself was pulled in to drop at Haruka's front.

"Are you ready to fight now? Or are you ready to just die?" Haruka's eyes looked down on him.

"O.K. O.K." He stood up and fixed himself, still acting cool at the situation. "If that is what you want, then that is what you'll get – your death!"

As the formal battle opened, Kuro immediately charged her with his weapons of fire. Flaming arrows shot from his bare palms. The former angel calmly shielded herself in with her thick gallant wings leaving the arrows extinguished into nothingness.

"How did she get such power?" Michiru wondered loud enough to catch her father's attention.

"That's the other side of her power." The king knew it all along.

"But I thought she was stripped off of her powers when she was sent to the Land of Unknown."

"Heaven only subdued her that her angel powers be locked in inside of herself," he explained. He too, was amazed at Haruka's newly discovered strength. "What she is showing right now is the black side of those angelic powers of hers that couldn't come out because of its restriction. Besides, angelic power of seeking change through prayer is useless in Hell. But, having to feel so much hate or jealousy must had transformed her powers of what they are right now."

"Transform? Do you mean that Haruka have actually an evil side?"

Michiru's father looked at her daughter's intriguing-bearing eyes. "It seems that she has." He spitted the thought. "An evil Na-shi archangel."

The princess resumed at concentrating to watch the fight between her brother and her lover. Both were equally strong. Both were able to retain their stamina and still continued to despise each other hopelessly.

A ball of fire was about to hit the throne seat when the king immediately set-up a tremendous force field. A lot of casualties had already died either pinned to the ground or burnt to ashes, from Kuro's stray fires.

"What will happen to the one who'll lose?" Michiru's worries became to emerge.

"That one will die and the victor, as agreed, becomes my successor and your new spouse."

"Whoever it is, will you accept the battle's outcome?"

"Only the strong one matters to me." He realized the absurdity of the question. "Shouldn't you be the one asking yourself that question?"

Only silence answered.

The angel had been working on the ability from her pure instincts that her power had given to her. Finally, after putting on a series of defenses with nothing to attack the prince with, Haruka suddenly summoned a gust of strong wind which intrude each airway of the enemy. He panicked in suffocation.

The force seemed to contract his lungs themselves and block the flow of air.

Haruka took a breath as she watched the prince suffered with her force.

This abrupt attack of Haruka caused him to use his power now to the fullest. Burning himself up with his own fire, the wind inside of him was consumed by the flames. Now he walked like a sturdy torch to continue the fight. He had his sight on Haruka, never spared a glance, to better aimed at her on his next attack.

Haruka didn't took a chance to even relax and let this demon caught her off-guard. She was more experienced now than before. Her wings even spread in a violent stance as her hands began to accumulate tons and tons of wind. This was her power that had been dormant inside of her all along. It was brutal but it was more reliable than ever. She assured herself more and more of such conclusion.

Kuro's flames rose higher and like a chain, tried to strap the angel from her waist. But Haruka's wind was sharper, cutting the chain of flame, and let it be succumbed by the wind, itself. Haruka's eyes glowed diabolically.

Kuro sensed his loss. All the more he wanted to give out his best in this ultimate fight. "A worthy opponent, aren't you?"

Haruka snickered wickedly.

In a sudden, Kuro instantly formed a huge ball of gas and let it burn in his hands. He threw it and in a second, exploded like a huge bomb. Haruka was thrown to a corner. Her left wing was half-fractured.

"Kuso!" Haruka stood, limping. The wounds in her head started to bleed some more. Her clothes dirty and ragged, torn its sleeves.

"How do you like that?"

Performing her reply, Haruka summoned a vortex from the ground. She made it bigger and bigger, higher and stronger. Its force increased as it disdainfully pulled all remaining living creatures to its core. The minions that got trapped in were crushed to bits and pieces and only ashes of them remained.

The flames of Kuro were no exemption. Like a hungry predator, the vortex swallowed the fires like edible rations for its belly. "What the…" Kuro too, was pulled closer and closer. "Where in the hell did you get this kind of power?"

Haruka couldn't respond for all she was minding was to grow on all the power she could possibly wield and finally sucking this prince out of existence.

The king and Michiru were safely protected by the force field. Both seemed to be neutral of who could be the winner in the fierce battle. Their looks might be cruel enough for Kuro, or kind enough for Haruka.

With his last strength, Kuro anchored himself with his solid flame. Haruka increased the vortex's power while the striving prince held into his own strength. It consumed more and more that could almost swallow Hell itself. The other creatures and servants of Hell that were left in the throne room, retreated out of the place, to somewhere safe and inaccessible by the horrid destroyer.

Knowing that the vortex had reach its limit, Haruka in an instant, dispersed it. Kuro finally let go from his anchor and gave off a huge sigh of relief when in a second, Haruka suddenly jumped on him and bringing forth a blade of wind, it swished. It mercilessly cut the prince's head off. The body dropped dead. And the black angel threw the head away.

Haruka approached the throne seat and brought back the blade to its sheath, her palm. "Done."

The force field lifted itself.

Hell's king was still in the verge of shock, seeing his own son being killed right in front of his eyes. Of course, this was inevitable. But he never expected for the battle to end abruptly in such a manner.

Haruka smiled victoriously and tenderly toward the princess. "We can be together now." Yes, the journey was over. She could finally be together with the one she loved with no rules or limitations.

Michiru remained in her position, still looking unmoved to everything that the angel had done for her. She didn't comment on anything. She stood there as if waiting for the king's orders.

"Well done." He seemed satisfied now. "What's left for you is your baptism in the black realm."

Haruka's took on a few flaps that replied to the king's words.

"Michiru!" He called to him. "Baptize her into our black realm."

The princess elegantly descended to the limping angel.

"Michiru…" She reached to the princess' hand, staining blood to the delicate soft creamy skin of the royalty. She was floppy enough to look up in servitude to meet the princess' gaze.

Michiru responded back, entwining her own fingers to the victor. But still, she hadn't said anything to her. The princess' eyes were coated in absolute pity toward the wounded being and her brows could only curl in mercy.

"I… I…" Haruka could almost cry in happiness as she savored the actual touch of the princess against her hand. She looked at the princess with such low eyes. Her heart could only crumble. Its hate was gone. Its frustrations vanished.

Both savored the pleasure of the moment that only their souls spoke of unheard words. Their eyes conversed perpetually.

The princess examined her thoroughly. Her royal touch calmed the angel's stiffening muscles in her arms. Hesitantly, she felt the dripping blood by her forehead.

"Admit me to your realm."

Michiru hushed her with an ever so gentle kiss. Their lips touched, holding to each other as if not wanting to let go when Michiru pulled back.

The princess' palm found its way to Haruka's chest. There, it rested peacefully, feeling nothing but the beating of her heart. It throbbed upon her touch and Michiru could feel the overflowing emotions inside of the once heavenly being. She looked straightly to her again.

Haruka was smiling weakly, happily. She seemed impatient yet with an outright content.

"Sayo… nara." Michiru's palm beamed on red light passing sharply through the angel's body and in between her black wings.

Haruka screamed in pain. Various stages of her life flashed across her mind, some painful, some serene. However, they became pure torture in her head. Broken, she dropped upon Michiru's shoulder. There, she laid unconscious.

Michiru held the angel firmly close. A tear dropped. "Gomen, Haruka."

Colorful crystal-like dews rose up from the lifeless being. And the angel's body evaporated out of Michiru's embrace.

TO BE CONTINUED 

From the author:

Most important for all readers to know

"Sayonara" Goodbye

"Gomen" I'm sorry


	17. My Red Angel

MY RED ANGEL

by First-GeNeSiS

Disclaimer: I don't own Sailormoon, especially the characters, Haruka, Michiru, Usagi, and Mamoru. I'm just borrowing them to give their lives a little bit of spice and give the readers a taste of fanfic imagination. On beliefs, please note that I am not focusing on a specific religion in this story. Again, this is fanfiction!

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Chapter 17

She opened her eyes as she felt the gentle cold air that caressed her face. A soft cushion held her back and a flowing sheet covered her. Everything felt so fresh and wonderful, so relaxing and the humid atmosphere was soothing to her skin.

She got out from the bed and steadied her feet on the ground. Her room was serenely beautiful. A window showed a scenic view of a cool horizon. Everything she felt was invigorating. Though she had forgotten everything that happened yesterday, she didn't mind at all. Or the environment was too perfect to be minding such small detail. She didn't remember what happened but she was sure of where she was currently staying and what she should be doing.

A pile of robes was arranged in her closet just as she knew that a tall mirror was waiting for her at the corner of the room. She took a look of the façade she was carrying.

Her reflection showed an energetic youngster with an age of around 11 years old. Her hair was yellow like gold and her face lined a boyish shape. She fixed her hair up and changed into a clean set of robes.

The door opened. "Mo Haruka-chan, aren't you ready yet?"

She straightened the folds and presented herself cheerfully. "Now, I'm ready." She put on a big happy smile.

The woman led the young one out of the room and accompanied her through the long corridor.

"Ne, Shizuka-sensei. Where are you taking me this time?"

"I'll give you a special lesson on Heaven's geography today."

They descended from the palace's staircase.

"A special lesson?" She had a suspicious look toward her sensei.

They passed by the master's chamber where Haruka caught sight a beautiful wavy-haired woman in a stunning red gown talking to the master. Both looked serious in their discussion.

"Shizuka-sensei, who is that woman?"

Shizuka looked at the woman for a second and immediately turned away to lead the girl to the palace's exit. "Just a visitor of the master."

Haruka noticed the increasing pace of their walk. "A visitor?"

Shizuka was drowned in silence until they were completely out of the building. Much to Haruka's curiosity, the teacher took her to a more unused route leading to a farther destination from the palace.

xxx

"Even so, I am still thankful." The master sent his goodbye to the visiting demon.

Michiru walked out of the chamber and grabbed the opportunity to relish the place that she had spent once with an angel. The air was the same, the view was left unchanged, and the Ko-shis and Na-shis looked contemptuously at her from their posts. She casually ignored them.

Shiro, then came from the east wing. "I want to talk to you." He sounded indifferent. "I never thought that you would return Haruka back to us, erasing her life of what she had become after she became a full-fledged Na-shi."

Looking mighty unfriendly, the princess silently listened to him.

"But isn't this a breach of nature's rules?"

"I am a demon, Shiro. I love breaking rules."

"Are you thoroughly aware that this act has a retroactive effect?"

She ignored him.

"Again, you changed the world for the second time." He reminded her of how she tilted the world's balance with her affair with an angel. "Somehow, with your action today, Mamoru recovered from his accident ten years ago. He finished university and became an excellent agent of the Internal Revenue Agency. And just yesterday, he was able to apprehend Ponwick Saul's anomalies in the government. We know that Saul was your best candidate in your hellish plan. And yet, you took the risk. Were you aware of all these?"

She seemed not to care.

"You are good as dead, you know? By returning Haruka back to us, it's the same as you purposely lose during your initiation back then. It's the same as giving Haruka the victory."

"Are you finished already?" Irritation was written all over her face. "Why do you act concern for me? Aren't you the one who should be happy now?" Her arms crossed as a finger held her chin. "You know, Shiro, if only you had made your move on Haruka much earlier, then perhaps none of this would happen." She recalled on how Shiro was so jealous when she stayed in Heaven.

Indeed, back then, he only wished for Haruka to take her attention off of the demon back to her own work – her attention only to the master and if not, to the Ko-shi counterpart.

"The nerve that Haruka was even jealous that you might be hitting on me back then," she laughed at the thought as she remembered how green the angel was every time the princess walked with the Ko-shi. "When, all you wanted to happen was for Haruka to notice you, instead."

"Uso yo!" He cried but he was bad at lying, himself. "That's not true at all." Now, his words he let go from his mouth were covered in defense.

Michiru grinned and giggled as she left the Ko-shi alone in the palace's grounds. "Tsk tsk tsk" Pausing at nothing, she walked straight out the door. "And they said, angels were honest."

xxx

"Haruka-chan!" Shizuka called out much louder than before.

Haruka had wondered out from Shizuka's sight and had no plans of returning to her teacher. Not when she was playing like a normal innocent mischievous cherub would. She could hear her teacher all right but the Heaven's sceneries were breathtaking to left them without savoring nor enjoying.

She frolicked with the birds and hummed at the trees, the flowers, and the grasses. She jumped and play and thankful to all the living creatures playing with her in return. The leaves talked, rustling to her ears and branches swayed as the wind whistled sweet nothings to the little angel.

Running with no direction, she got lost amongst the tall bushes and her feet could only carry her ascending to a small hill. A tree stood tall at the middle of it.

"Ano…" She saw a woman. She was the same woman, strikingly beautiful and sublime, that the master had a talk early in the morning.

The woman turned and her hair glided smoothly through the air.

'Kirei' The girl mumbled her fascination. "Ano… daré desu ka?" She wasn't scared at all, not with an attractive stranger. Her feet slowly approached the woman.

Michiru gazed down and saw a very young Haruka looking up on her. "Haruka… kawaii!" She adored the child.

Haruka blushed and asked again. "How do you know my name?"

"Hi-mi-tsu!" The woman teased as she sealed her lips with a finger. A smile formed tenderly. "Let's just say…" she thought for awhile. "That I'm your angel."

"Wow!" She gave out a loud surprise. "An angel has an angel?"

Michiru giggled. She looked up at the bright yet cool sun which was almost high above for noon. "Jikan da." She slowly walked away.

"Matte!" The girl called. "Where are you going?"

"It's already time for me."

"Time for what?"

Michiru walked around the tree, concealing of what might happen to her. "Woe to you, father. You lost a son and a daughter because of one single angel." She mumbled to herself.

"Oneesan?" She called again. "Time for what?"

When Haruka ran to see the woman, flames burst and slowly consumed her, part by part.

"Oneesan! Oneesan!" Haruka tried to help but the flames were piercingly hot. "Oneesan! Dooshita?"

"Haruka…" Michiru looked intently at the child. "Iie yo, Haruka. Kore wa watashi no batsu desu."

"Iie, iie, iie." Haruka was furious, unable to comprehend what was really happening.

"Daijoubo." The flames had already swallowed her limbs, her body, then her chest. Her face almost faded with the steaming fire.

"Naze? Naze?" Haruka called again and again.

"Haruka's angel has to die…" her voice faded. "for love." Her mouth spoke of her last words that Haruka couldn't hear. The flames were the only witness to her truth. "I fell in love with an angel, not with a demon."

Tears watered from her eyes. "Wakaranai yo, oneesan." She cried alone on the hill. Her heart crumpled itself with various feelings of sadness and despair. "Oneesan…"

The flames disappeared in a second. Not even ashes remained from the woman she had seen. It was as if the stranger wasn't there in the first place. But Haruka was sure that once, a very beautiful woman was there, and now, she was gone. Still, she was aware of who she was. "Kanojo wa…" She treasured everything she saw about the woman – her hair, her eyes, her skin, and the most alluring of them all, her lips. "… boku no akai tenshi desu." However, that angel was gone.

THE END

From the author:

Translated lines:

"Ano… daré desu ka?" means Ummm… who are you?

"Kirei" means beautiful

"Kawaii" means cute

"Jikan da" means it's time

"Iie" means no

"Daijoubo" means it's all right

"dooshite" and "naze" means why

"Kore wa watashi no batsu desu." means This is my punishment

"wakaranai" means I don't understand

"boku no akai tenshi desu" means my red angel.

There are a lot of Japanese lines in this chapter. I'm not really fluent in Japanese but I kinda imagined the characters saying such lines as I was writing this so I just had to write them down. I provided the translation just in case the words are not that familiar.

Another fic finished! This is originally an 18-chapter fic but I merged two chapters together about the Land of Unknown and cut out some parts of it. So, do you like it? How do you find the story? I deliberately wrote a serenely calm (almost or really boring) first few chapters to give a huge impact on the emotions contained in the last few chapters. Honestly, I was afraid that only a few of you (readers) will continue reading the fic until the end because of the slow plot. But then, I was so happy when I received a lot of reviews on chapter 15. I was like, "Wow! This fic is still alive?" Hehehe… It's partly my fault also because of my delayed updates. I was really very busy and I had a few blOck-outs between chapters especially during Haruka's wandering in the Land of Unknown and eventually coming to Hell.

Oh! I should apologize to those who expected a happy ending. Gomen! Well… the ending can still be "happy" depending on how you interpret it, right? Or am I just giving an excuse… Gomen again. But that's just how the story goes. I can't stop Michiru, ya know. What do you think of her now? The story was really beyond my control. Hehehe…

Anyway, 'will be looking forward to your reviews. Thank you for reading this fic until the end. I had fun with all of you especially to those who were constantly reviewing the chapters. (hugz)


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